Lawsuit Definition, Usage & Key Examples

Meaning 1：legal case (lawsuit)

lawsuit 🔊

/ˈlɔːsuːt/

A legal case where people go to court to solve a big disagreement, like asking a judge to decide who is right or wrong and what should be done about it.

Lawsuit illustration showing a formal courtroom scene with parties and a lawyer

legal case 🔊

➕

/ˈliːɡəl keɪs/

A formal legal dispute brought before a court for adjudication to resolve a conflict or enforce rights.

📁 Category：Laws & Regulations 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From 'law' (legal system) + 'suit' (pursuit, from Old French 'suite'), meaning a legal pursuit in court.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'law-suit': you wear a suit to court for a legal case.

📖 Example

The company faced a lawsuit from a customer who claimed their product caused an allergic reaction. 🔊 The company faced a lawsuit from a customer who claimed their product caused an allergic reaction.

🔗 Collocations

file a lawsuit – to officially initiate a legal case in court

settle a lawsuit – to resolve a legal case without a court decision, often through agreement

defend a lawsuit – to respond to and oppose a legal case in court

🔄 Synonyms

litigation (n.) – the process of taking legal action, especially in court

legal action (n.) – a proceeding or case brought in a court of law

case (n.) – a matter or dispute to be decided in a court of law

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Middle English 'lawesuite', combining 'law' and 'suit' (from Old French 'suite', meaning following). It entered English in the 14th century referring to legal proceedings. Today, it's a common term in civil law for disputes requiring judicial resolution.