codefendant: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Legal
Quick answer
What does “codefendant” mean?
A person who is jointly accused of a crime or sued in a civil case with one or more other people.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who is jointly accused of a crime or sued in a civil case with one or more other people.
Any party in a legal proceeding who is defended alongside another against the same set of charges or claims. The term implies a shared legal defense in a single case, though their individual culpability or arguments may differ.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: In UK English, the hyphenated form 'co-defendant' is equally, if not more, common than 'codefendant'. In US English, the solid form 'codefendant' is predominant. Usage is otherwise identical.
Connotations
None beyond the formal legal context.
Frequency
More frequent in jurisdictions with adversarial legal systems (e.g., US, UK). The term is not common in everyday language.
Grammar
How to Use “codefendant” in a Sentence
[defendant] + [is/was] + codefendant + [with/of] + [person/case][person] + [acted as] + codefendant + [in] + [case]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “codefendant” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The solicitor cannot codefend two clients where there is a conflict of interest. (Rare, specialised)
American English
- The law firm sought to codefend the two corporations. (Rare, specialised)
adjective
British English
- The codefendant barrister raised a joint objection. (Rare, usually attributive noun)
American English
- They were in a codefendant relationship throughout the lengthy trial. (Rare, usually attributive noun)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in the context of corporate litigation (e.g., 'The company and its director were named as codefendants in the fraud suit').
Academic
Used in legal scholarship, criminology, and law courses when discussing case structures, plea bargaining, or joint trials.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would only be used when discussing specific personal legal matters.
Technical
Core terminology in legal practice and court documents.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “codefendant”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “codefendant”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “codefendant”
- Misspelling: 'co-defendent', 'codefendent'.
- Using it outside a legal context (e.g., 'We were codefendants in the school project' – incorrect).
- Confusing it with 'co-conspirator' (which refers to planning a crime, not necessarily to legal status).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Being a codefendant only means being jointly accused or sued in the same case. Their levels of alleged culpability or legal arguments can be completely different.
A 'co-conspirator' is someone involved in planning a crime. A 'codefendant' is someone formally charged in a legal case. A co-conspirator may never be arrested or become a codefendant.
Yes. While common in criminal law, 'codefendant' is also the standard term for multiple parties being sued together in a civil lawsuit (e.g., a driver and the car manufacturer).
The stress is on the third syllable: 'fend'. In British English: /ˌkəʊdɪˈfendənt/. In American English: /ˌkoʊdɪˈfendənt/.
A person who is jointly accused of a crime or sued in a civil case with one or more other people.
Codefendant is usually formal, legal in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Turn state's evidence against one's codefendant”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CO-defendant = CO-accused. You're in the dock TOGETHER (CO-) defending yourselves against the charges.
Conceptual Metaphor
LEGAL PROCEEDING AS A JOURNEY / SHARED BURDEN: 'They stood side-by-side in the dock.' 'The weight of the evidence bore down on both codefendants equally.'
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is the term 'codefendant' correctly used?