appellant

1 of 2

adjective

ap·​pel·​lant ə-ˈpe-lənt 

: of or relating to an appeal : appellate

an appellant court

appellant

2 of 2

noun

: one that appeals

specifically : one that appeals from a judicial decision or decree

Examples of appellant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Sorrells said the appellant court that overturned the conviction picked and chose facts and did not function as an appellant court should. —Noah Alcala Bach, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2024

Click here to read appellant arguments over then-Judge Boynton’s key rulings in Jones’s trial and here for the state’s response. —Dan Morse, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2023

Noun

In a 242-page appellant’s opening brief, the lawyers allege that key witness testimonies changed over time, that the court excluded significant exculpatory evidence and that judicial rulings skewed the jury’s view of the evidence against Masterson. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024

On Thursday, attorneys for the That ’70s Show star filed a 242-page appellant’s opening brief demanding an overturning of Masterson’s guilty verdict — the culmination of a weeks-long, high-profile jury trial that concluded in September 2023. —Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English appellaunt "making a charge in court," borrowed from Anglo-French appellant, appellaunt, present participle of apeler, appeler "to call, summon, call before a court" — more at appeal entry 2

Noun

Middle English appellant, appellaunt "person accusing another in court, plaintiff, challenger," borrowed from Anglo-French appellant, noun derivative of appellant, appellant "making a charge in court" — more at appellant entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

appellant

noun

ap·​pel·​lant

ə-ˈpel-ənt

: one that appeals

especially : one that appeals a judicial decision

Legal Definition

appellant

noun

ap·​pel·​lant

ə-ˈpe-lənt

: a person or party who appeals a court's judgment compare appellee