prosecuting attorney

IPA/pɹˈɒsɪkjˌuːtɪŋ ɐtˈɜːni/
IPA/pɹˈɑːsɪkjˌuːɾɪŋ ɐtˈɜːni/

prosecuting attorney — noun

1. A lawyer whose job is to bring criminal cases against people in court on behalf

1.nounB2
Definition

A lawyer whose job is to bring criminal cases against people in court on behalf of the state or federal government, and to try to show that the accused person is guilty.

Example

The prosecuting attorney questioned each witness carefully during the robbery trial.

definite article + noun as subject

Maria Chen served as the chief prosecuting attorney for the county for twelve years.

collocation: chief prosecuting attorney / prosecuting attorney for [jurisdiction]

Common collocations
  • chief prosecuting attorney
  • assistant prosecuting attorney
  • prosecuting attorney's office
  • elect a prosecuting attorney
  • prosecuting attorney for [county/district/state]
Synonyms
  • prosecutor

    shorter, more general term; used in both everyday and formal contexts

  • district attorney

    specific title used at the county level in many US states; often abbreviated as DA

  • state's attorney

    common in some US states (e.g., Illinois, Maryland) for the same role at county level

  • DA

    abbreviation of district attorney; informal and widely recognized in US media

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the prosecuting attorney + verb

prosecuting attorney + for + [jurisdiction]

Usage Note

Used mainly in the US legal system. In the United Kingdom, the equivalent role is called a Crown Prosecutor. The shorter synonym prosecutor is more common in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

The prosecuting attorney is the lawyer who helps the defendant.
The prosecuting attorney is the lawyer who tries to prove the defendant is guilty.
A prosecuting attorney works for the government, not for the person accused of a crime.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to the government lawyer who brings criminal charges, but they differ in formality and regional use. Prosecutor is the most general and neutral term — you can use it in any context, from news reports to casual conversation. District attorney (DA) is a specific title used at the county level in many US states, especially in larger jurisdictions; it strongly evokes American legal dramas. State's attorney is the preferred title in some states (Illinois, Maryland, Connecticut) for the same county-level role. DA is the informal abbreviation of district attorney and is very common in US media headlines and dialogue. In writing, use district attorney for formal references to a specific office, and prosecutor for general discussion of the role. For example: 'The district attorney announced new charges this morning.' / 'Every prosecutor must follow ethical guidelines.'

prosecutor ↗district attorneystate's attorneyDA

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • chief prosecuting attorney
  • assistant prosecuting attorney
  • prosecuting attorney's office
  • elect a prosecuting attorney

Prepositions

  • prosecuting attorney for [jurisdiction]

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchAmerican English

The word 'prosecuting' comes from Latin 'prosecutus', the past participle of 'prosequi' meaning 'to follow, pursue'. 'Attorney' comes from Old French 'atorné', past participle of 'atorner' meaning 'to appoint or assign'. The compound term 'prosecuting attorney' emerged in American English in the early 19th century to describe the government-appointed lawyer who pursues criminal cases on behalf of the state.

First known use

1820

1820, in the meaning defined above