district attorney: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Legal, Official, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “district attorney” mean?
The chief public prosecutor for a specific judicial district, typically a county or region, representing the state or government in criminal cases within that area.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The chief public prosecutor for a specific judicial district, typically a county or region, representing the state or government in criminal cases within that area.
An elected or appointed official who leads a team of prosecutors (assistant district attorneys), making decisions about which criminal charges to file, overseeing plea negotiations, and prosecuting cases in court. The role often involves significant administrative and public policy responsibilities regarding law enforcement priorities.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'District Attorney (DA)' is exclusively American. The closest British equivalent roles are 'Crown Prosecutor' (working for the Crown Prosecution Service) or 'Procurator Fiscal' (in Scotland). The U.K. does not have locally elected chief prosecutors.
Connotations
In the U.S., connotes local political power, law-and-order campaigns, and is a common stepping-stone in political careers. In British contexts, the term is recognized from American media but has no domestic operational meaning.
Frequency
High frequency in American legal, news, and political discourse. Very low frequency in genuine British contexts, except when discussing U.S. affairs.
Grammar
How to Use “district attorney” in a Sentence
[The/Our] District Attorney + VERB (charged, argued, declined, announced)District Attorney of + PLACE (of Manhattan, of Los Angeles County)VERB + as + District Attorney (serve as, work as, appoint as)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “district attorney” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The role is not verbed in British English.
American English
- Informally, 'to DA a case' means to handle it through the District Attorney's office (e.g., 'They decided to DA the felony assault.').
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- The term is not used adjectivally.
American English
- Used attributively: 'a district attorney investigation', 'district attorney race' (election).
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts of white-collar crime or regulatory compliance (e.g., 'The company is under investigation by the District Attorney.').
Academic
Used in law, political science, and criminal justice studies discussing the U.S. legal system, prosecutorial discretion, or local governance.
Everyday
Common in news reports about crime and local politics (e.g., 'The district attorney will not file charges in the case.').
Technical
Precise legal term defining a specific office within the jurisdictional hierarchy of U.S. criminal law.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “district attorney”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “district attorney”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “district attorney”
- Using it as a generic term for any lawyer (e.g., 'I need a district attorney for my divorce.' – INCORRECT).
- Confusing it with 'Attorney General' (a state or federal-level role).
- Assuming the role exists outside the United States.
- Misspelling as 'distriCt attorney' or 'district attourney'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A District Attorney is a specific type of lawyer, but not all lawyers are District Attorneys. A DA is a public prosecutor working for the government, while 'lawyer' is a general term for anyone qualified to practice law.
The District Attorney works for 'the people' or the state within their specific jurisdiction (e.g., a county). They are public officials, either elected or appointed, whose duty is to represent the government in prosecuting criminal offences.
A District Attorney (DA) typically operates at the county or local level. An Attorney General is the chief legal officer at the state or federal level, overseeing broader legal matters and sometimes supervising the state's DAs.
No. A District Attorney's role is exclusively to prosecute crimes on behalf of the government. Someone accused of a crime would be defended by a private defence attorney or a public defender, who is an opponent of the DA in court.
The chief public prosecutor for a specific judicial district, typically a county or region, representing the state or government in criminal cases within that area.
District attorney is usually formal, legal, official, journalistic in register.
District attorney: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdɪstrɪkt əˈtɜːnɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdɪstrɪkt əˈtɝnɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The DA's office (meaning the entire prosecuting authority)”
- “To have the DA on your back (to be under serious investigation/prosecution)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a school DISTRICT - it's a specific area. An ATTORNEY is a lawyer. The DISTRICT ATTORNEY is the lawyer for 'the people' in that specific district, prosecuting crimes.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE LAW IS A BATTLE (The DA leads the government's 'side' in the courtroom battle against crime).
Practice
Quiz
In which country is the role of 'District Attorney' a standard part of the legal system?