prosecutor

noun

pros·​e·​cu·​tor ˈprä-si-ˌkyü-tər 

1

: a person who institutes a prosecution before a court

2

: prosecuting attorney

Examples of prosecutor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The girl ended up sending Rosenthal naked pictures of herself, prosecutors said. —Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024

Gaetz, a Trump loyalist known for being a rabble-rouser in Congress, has a law degree and briefly practiced law in Florida before entering politics, but has never worked as a prosecutor. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024

Stemler, a public corruption prosecutor at the San Bernardino District Attorney’s office, said the district needs to improve student test scores and boost parent involvement. —Alexcia Negrete, Orange County Register, 12 Nov. 2024

The undercover sources were with him every step of the way, picking him up from his home, traveling to Nashville, and providing him with inoperative explosives, prosecutors said. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

prosecutor

noun

pros·​e·​cu·​tor ˈpräs-i-ˌkyüt-ər 

: a person (as a district attorney) who prosecutes especially a criminal case as lawyer for the state

Legal Definition

prosecutor

noun

pros·​e·​cu·​tor ˈprä-si-ˌkyü-tər 

1

: a person who institutes a prosecution (as by making an affidavit or complaint charging the defendant)

2

: a government attorney who presents the state's case against the defendant in a criminal prosecution