prosecutor (prosekutor)

[ The lord Cromwell was conceived to be the principal mover and prosecutor thereof. Spelman , Hist. Sacrilege. ( Latham .) 2. In law, the person who institutes and carries on any proceedings in a court of justice, whether civil or criminal: generally applied to a complainant who institutes criminal proceedings. In criminal proceedings, or prosecutions for offences, it would still be a higher absurdity if the king personally sat in judgment; because in regard to these he appears in another capacity, that of prosecutor . Black stone , Com., I. vii. Public prosecutor, an officer charged with the conduct of criminal prosecutions in the interests of the public, as a district attorney and in Scotland a procurator fiscal. prosecutrix (pros'ē-kū-triks), n. [NL., fem. of LL. prosecutor, prosecutor: see prosecutor.] A female prosecutor. pro selachian (prō-se-lā'ki-an), n. [