Meaning & Definition of word "Assailant"
Assailant
/əˈseɪlənt/
noun:
- 1. A person who attacks another physically or verbally.
- Example: The police are searching for the assailant who fled the scene after the robbery.
- 2. An individual who initiates an assault.
- Example: Witnesses described the assailant as wearing a dark hoodie and jeans.
- 3. A person who criticizes or challenges someone or something aggressively.
- Example: The politician faced a barrage of questions from his assailants during the press conference.
Etymology
●From Middle English assailant, from Old French assailant, present participle of assaille, from Latin assailare.
Common Phrases and Expressions
armed assailant:
A person who attacks others while carrying a weapon.
masked assailant:
An attacker who obscures their identity with a mask.
flee from the assailant:
To escape from someone who is attacking.
Related Words
attack:
The act of striking or hitting someone.
assault:
A violent physical or verbal attack.
perpetrator:
A person who commits a crime.
Slang Meanings of assailant
Meaning: hitman
● Example Sentence: They hired an assailant, or hitman, to settle their scores.
Meaning: thug
● Example Sentence: He was known as a local thug, often seen as an assailant during street fights.