co-respondent: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal / Legal
Quick answer
What does “co-respondent” mean?
A person named in a divorce case as having committed adultery with the respondent (the spouse being sued for divorce).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person named in a divorce case as having committed adultery with the respondent (the spouse being sued for divorce).
More generally, a person who is called upon to answer or correspond jointly with another; a party who is required to respond in a legal action alongside another respondent. This broader, non-adultery sense is now extremely rare.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling often varies: British English strongly prefers the hyphen ('co-respondent'), while American English sometimes uses a closed form ('corespondent'), though the hyphenated form is still common. The term is used in the same narrow legal context in both jurisdictions.
Connotations
Identical strong negative connotation of adultery in both varieties. The non-adultery meaning is equally obsolete in both.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Usage has declined in line with the simplification of divorce laws (e.g., 'no-fault' divorce), making the specific legal scenario less common.
Grammar
How to Use “co-respondent” in a Sentence
[Plaintiff] cited [Person X] as co-respondent.[Person X] was named co-respondent in the divorce.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “co-respondent” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The petitioner sought to co-respondent the individual involved.
- He was co-respondented in the suit.
American English
- The petitioner moved to corespondent the other party.
- She was corespondented in the action.
adverb
British English
- He was cited co-respondently.
- [No standard usage]
American English
- She was named corespondently.
- [No standard usage]
adjective
British English
- The co-respondent spouse faced significant costs.
- A co-respondent order was issued.
American English
- The corespondent party was liable for damages.
- Corespondent status was granted.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Only in historical or legal studies discussing divorce law.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would only be used when discussing specific, old-fashioned divorce proceedings.
Technical
Exclusively in legal contexts, specifically family law.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “co-respondent”
- Misspelling as 'correspondent' (a journalist).
- Assuming it has a general meaning of 'someone who replies together with another'.
- Using it in non-legal contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are completely different. 'Correspondent' (no hyphen) typically means a journalist or someone who writes letters. 'Co-respondent' (with hyphen) is a specific legal term.
No, its use has declined significantly with the advent of 'no-fault' divorce laws in many countries, which remove the need to prove adultery or other fault.
In its primary legal sense, no, it carries a strong negative connotation. A historical, neutral meaning of 'joint respondent' exists but is essentially obsolete.
There is a slight pause or separate syllable stress: 'koh-ri-SPON-dent'. The hyphen represents this division, crucial for distinguishing it from 'correspondent'.
A person named in a divorce case as having committed adultery with the respondent (the spouse being sued for divorce).
Co-respondent is usually formal / legal in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idioms; term is itself highly specific]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'CO-accused in the RES-PONSE to the divorce petition'.
Conceptual Metaphor
LEGAL PROCEDURE AS A FORMAL DANCE (partner, steps, named participants).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary, modern meaning of 'co-respondent'?