PETITIONER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does petitioner mean? 

• PETITIONER (noun)
  The noun PETITIONER has 2 senses:

1. one praying humbly for something

2. someone who petitions a court for redress of a grievance or recovery of a right

  Familiarity information: PETITIONER used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PETITIONER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

One praying humbly for something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

petitioner; requester; suppliant; supplicant

Context example:

a suppliant for her favors

Hypernyms ("petitioner" is a kind of...):

applicant; applier (a person who requests or seeks something such as assistance or employment or admission)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "petitioner"):

besieger (an energetic petitioner)

postulant (one submitting a request or application especially one seeking admission into a religious order)

canvasser; solicitor (a petitioner who solicits contributions or trade or votes)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Someone who petitions a court for redress of a grievance or recovery of a right

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

petitioner; suer

Hypernyms ("petitioner" is a kind of...):

complainant; plaintiff (a person who brings an action in a court of law)

Derivation:

petition (write a petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writing)

 Context examples 

I remember a certain luscious roll he gave to such phrases as The people's representatives in Parliament assembled, Your petitioners therefore humbly approach your honourable house, His gracious Majesty's unfortunate subjects, as if the words were something real in his mouth, and delicious to taste; Mr. Micawber, meanwhile, listening with a little of an author's vanity, and contemplating (not severely) the spikes on the opposite wall.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)