Etymologically
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lawsuit

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 14:48. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈlɔːˌs(j)uːt/, /ˈlɔˌs(j)ut/[1]

Etymology

It is a compound of law and suit, also written law-suit.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

A suit in law, the prosecution of a claim in court: 1624 in the OED and MWU, the 1620s in Etymonline.[3][4][2][5]

Semantic evolution

Etymonline glosses it as an action or proceeding in a civil court, at law or in equity.[2] Black's Law Dictionary refers it to suit.[6]

Timeline

  • 1624 – a suit at law.[3]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A claim or dispute brought before a court of law to be decided; a suit.

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ Kay, Christian; Roberts, Jane; Samuels, Michael; Wotherspoon, Irené, eds. (2009), Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press; online edition (2024)
  6. ^ Garner, Bryan A., ed. (2004), Black's Law Dictionary, 8th ed., St. Paul, Minn.: Thomson West