public defender

noun

: a lawyer usually holding public office whose duty is to defend accused persons unable to pay for legal assistance

Examples of public defender in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

He was represented by Siri Carlson McDowell, a federal public defender. — Ellen Schmidt, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Castillo is represented by federal public defenders, who did not return a request for comment on his case. — David Goodhue october 7, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026

Maintaining innocence Barnett's public defender, Jason Rodriguez, gave a shorter opening statement. — CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026

In addition to familiar faces from Season 1, he’ll be joined by series newcomers Tommy Lee Jones and Betty Gilpin, who respectively play his estranged father and a public defender who enters his orbit. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for public defender

• bartender
• contender
• engender
• extender
• offender
• pretender
• provender
• surrender
• suspender
• transgender
• bender
• blender

Legal Definition

public defender

noun

: a lawyer usually holding public office who represents criminal defendants unable to pay for legal assistance