French word

procès

Pronunciation

IPA/pʁosɛ/

Meaning

  • masculine nountrial

Example

Le procès commence demain.

The trial begins tomorrow.

Illustration for procès (trial)

More examples

Elle a décidé de faire un procès à son ancien employeur.

She decided to sue her former employer.

Core concept

A dispute placed before a court, where each side presents its case until the judge rules.

Common phrases

  • faire un procès à quelqu'un

    sue someone

  • gagner un procès

    win a trial

  • un procès pénal

    a criminal trial

Similar words

affaire: A particular matter under investigation or before a court.
audience: A court session for hearing testimony and legal arguments.
procédure: The prescribed formal process for pursuing a legal case.
jugement: A court's formal ruling in a case.

Definition in French

Procédure judiciaire engagée entre parties pour trancher un litige devant une juridiction.

Word origin

The noun procès developed from Latin processus through Old French, extending the idea of progress or procedure to a case examined by a court.

Usage tips

  • Faire le procès de quelqu'un can mean to condemn or criticize someone figuratively, not only to bring a lawsuit against that person.

Other meanings

  • lawsuitnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word