Plea

Plea

Noun · /pliː/ · an urgent emotional appeal; also a formal legal statement

Definition

A plea is an earnest appeal or entreaty — a sincere, often emotional request made to someone in authority or in a position to help. In law, it is a formal statement by a defendant in court declaring guilty or not guilty. Both meanings — the emotional and the legal — share the same core idea: speaking up urgently on behalf of something that matters.

Origin

From Old French plait and plaid, meaning lawsuit or agreement, which came from Medieval Latin placitum — a decree or decision. Entered English in the 13th century as a legal term, and expanded over time to encompass any earnest appeal or entreaty outside the courtroom.