complainant
UK[kəmˈpleɪnənt]US[kəmˈpleɪnənt]
n
A person who makes a formal complaint in a court of law or to an official body.
Morpheme Breakdown
complain
ant
complain
to express grief, pain, or dissatisfaction.
ant
one who does or performs (the action of the verb).
Etymology
The word 'complainant' is built upon the verb 'complain', which entered English from Anglo-French in the late 14th century, itself derived from the Latin complangere, meaning "to bewail or lament vehemently." The Latin root is a combination of com- (an intensive prefix) and plangere (to strike, beat the breast in grief). The suffix -ant is an agentive suffix, also of Latin origin, used to form nouns indicating a person who performs a specific action. Thus, a 'complainant' literally and logically denotes "one who laments or expresses grievance," a meaning which has been formalized in legal and official contexts to specify the party who brings a formal charge or complaint.
Analysis
Structure: complain + ant
- complain: From Latin complangere (to bewail, lament), via Old French complaindre. It functions as the verb root meaning "to express grief, pain, or dissatisfaction."
- ant: A suffix of Latin origin (-antem, accusative of -ans), forming agent nouns from verbs, meaning "one who does or performs (the action of the verb)."
Examples
The complainant provided detailed evidence to support her allegations of harassment.
The judge listened carefully to the testimony of both the complainant and the defendant.
As the complainant in the case, he was required to attend all the hearings.