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Glite Dictionary
prosecuting attorney

prosecuting attorney

10 5.9
A government lawyer who tries to prove someone committed a crime in court
  • noun
  • /ˈprɒsɪkjuːtɪŋ əˈtɜːrni/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fiscal
  • I was one of the prosecuting attorneys at the Nuremberg trials.

Examples

  • "Now, the prosecuting attorney will have a few things to say, and you need to be prepared for them."

    Fiction book (1993)

  • "Yes or no?" the prosecuting attorney said.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • That man over there is the prosecuting attorney.

    ...And Justice for All (1979)

  • Where is the prosecuting attorney?

    Can-Can (1960)

  • The prosecuting attorney spoke for two hours, then the case was given to the jury.

    Blog text (22)

  • What was your impression of the prosecuting attorney?

    12 Angry Men (1957)

  • Turner, the prosecuting attorney, examines his first witness.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Here we have the prosecuting attorney, Jessica Landers.

    Citizen Verdict (2003)

  • The prosecuting attorney at the trial impeached his own witnesses and practically invited an acquittal.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Marcia Clark, the lead prosecuting attorney, will continue her opening statement to the jury.

Synonyms

prosecutor
vsprosecuting attorney
789 4.6

A lawyer who represents the government and brings charges against someone accused of a crime

refers to that same lawyer role but in broader language use
prosecution
vsprosecuting attorney
  • Specialized
397 5.1

Lawyers who present the state's case against someone accused of a crime in court

names the single official who carries out those team actions in court
district attorney
vsprosecuting attorney
  • Formal
153 4.2

A lawyer who brings criminal charges for the government in a local area

is the general government attorney term not limited to a district
DA
vsprosecuting attorney
  • US
123 6.6

A government lawyer who brings criminal charges in a district court

is the generic government attorney term not tied to district level
state's attorney
vsprosecuting attorney
  • Formal
28 6.8

A government lawyer who brings criminal charges for the state

is a broader label for the government lawyer role beyond state focus
state attorney
vsprosecuting attorney
  • Specialized
24 5.5

A lawyer who brings criminal cases in court for the state government

is the general term for a government lawyer, not emphasising state level
public prosecutor
vsprosecuting attorney
  • UK
2 4.1

A government official who brings criminal charges in court for the state

is the common official name for that same government role
prosecuting officer
vsprosecuting attorney
  • Specialized
6.0

A government lawyer who tries to prove someone committed a crime in court

emphasizes the official duty rather than a specific job title
ad prosequendum
vsprosecuting attorney
  • Formal
9.9

A person a court chooses to sue for someone who cannot act for themselves

is a regularly employed government official, not a special court appointee

Surface Forms

prosecuting attorney singular
prosecuting attorneys plural

Morphology

prosecute + attorney

The meaning 'an attorney who conducts prosecutions' is directly and transparently derived from 'prosecute' (to pursue a legal case) + 'attorney' (legal representative). This follows the common English participial modifier pattern (prosecuting = carrying out prosecutions) and has clear cross-linguistic parallels, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Prosecuting attorney comes from two simple ideas: prosecuting comes from an old word meaning 'to follow' a case, and attorney means a person chosen 'to act for' someone. So a prosecuting attorney is literally someone who follows a criminal case for the government, which is why it means an official who brings charges.