one praying humbly for something
"a suppliant for her favors"
someone who petitions a court for redress of a grievance or recovery of a right
"The petitioner filed an urgent motion to have their citizenship rights restored after years of wrongful denial."
Someone who presents a petition to a court.
"The petitioner filed the document formally requesting that the judge grant an injunction against the company."
In plain English: A petitioner is someone who officially asks for something from an authority, such as a judge or government official.
"The petitioner waited anxiously outside the court for their case to be heard."
Usage: A petitioner is specifically an individual or group requesting legal action from a judge, distinct from the respondent who answers that request. Use this term only in formal legal contexts rather than for general requests made to organizations or authorities.
The word petitioner comes from adding the suffix "-er" to petition. It entered English as a doublet of petitionary, meaning it shares the same origin but developed separately.