pleito

lawsuit

noun PLEH-ee-toh Rare

Origin: Latin placitum (agreement, decree), from placere (to please/decide).

Also means

dispute

Usage Note

Pleito primarily refers to a legal lawsuit or court case (ganar un pleito = to win a case). In everyday speech it can also mean a quarrel or dispute, particularly in Latin America (tener un pleito con alguien = to have a fight with someone). In Spain the legal sense is dominant; the informal quarrel sense is more regional. The related verb is pleitear (to litigate).

Examples

"El pleito duró tres años en los tribunales."

Natural Translation

The lawsuit lasted three years in the courts.

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