Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who formally requests something from a court or authority: A "petitioner" is someone who submits a formal, written request (a petition) to a court, government, or other official body, typically to seek legal redress, a change, or a specific action.
   • A person who makes a humble or earnest plea: A "petitioner" can also refer to someone who humbly asks or begs for something, often from a person in a position of power or favor.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The petitioner filed a lawsuit against the city council. (The person who formally requested legal action submitted a lawsuit against the city council.)
  • As a petitioner, she asked the governor for clemency. (As a person making a humble request, she asked the governor for mercy.)
  • The court will hear the arguments from the petitioner and the respondent. (The court will listen to the arguments from the person who filed the case and the person answering it.)

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: In legal proceedings, especially in certain types of civil cases (like divorce or appeals), the party who initiates the formal request to the court is specifically called the "petitioner." The other party is the "respondent."
  • The petitioner must provide evidence to support their claim. (The person who filed the case must provide evidence to support their claim.)

Variants and Related Words

• Petition (noun/verb): The formal written request itself, or the act of making such a request.
  • They started a petition to save the park. (They started a formal written request to save the park.)
• Petitionary (adjective): Having the nature of a petition.
  • The letter was written in a petitionary tone. (The letter was written in a tone of humble request.)

Synonyms

• Applicant: A person who makes a formal application for something.
• Supplicant: A person who asks or begs for something earnestly or humbly.
• Pleader: A person who makes an earnest appeal.

Related Phrases

• To file a petition: To formally submit a written request to an authority.
  • The citizens decided to file a petition with the local government. (The citizens decided to formally submit a request to the local government.)

Related Idioms

• To play the petitioner: To adopt the role of someone humbly asking for favors (this is a less common, contextual usage).
  • He was tired of having to play the petitioner just to get basic information. (He was tired of having to act like someone humbly begging just to get basic information.)

Noun

1. someone who petitions a court for redress of a grievance or recovery of a right
2. one praying humbly for something
   • a suppliant for her favors