Applicant — in plain language
a person or entity who formally requests something, such as a loan, a job, a permit, or a court order
From a fixed, curated glossary of 7,257 legal terms. Not legal advice. How it's made: plainlanguage.us/trust
Plain language
a person or entity who formally requests something, such as a loan, a job, a permit, or a court order
- person making a request
- requester
- petitioner
- candidate
What to watch for
- In civil litigation, 'applicant' is sometimes used interchangeably with 'plaintiff' or 'petitioner.' Translators must check if the document is a court filing to see if the person is initiating a lawsuit or just requesting a specific court order.
- In banking and finance, 'applicant' often refers specifically to a borrower. Translating it as 'person asking for something' is accurate but may lose the specific financial obligation implied in a loan agreement.
- Non-lawyers may assume an applicant is always a person. In legal documents, an applicant is frequently a corporation or other business entity; the translation should remain neutral regarding the applicant's nature.
Context-Dependent Meaning. The term "applicant" is highly dependent on the document type. In a court filing, an applicant is someone asking a judge for a specific order. In a contract, an applicant is often the person seeking a service or financial product. Always look at the surrounding text to determine if the applicant is asking for a favor, a right, or a legal judgment.
Distinguishing from Similar Terms.
- Applicant vs. Plaintiff: A plaintiff is someone starting a lawsuit. An applicant is often someone asking for a specific, smaller action (like a permit or a court order) rather than suing someone for damages.
- Applicant vs. Petitioner: These are often used interchangeably in court settings. A petitioner is technically someone who files a formal petition, but in many modern courts, "applicant" is used for the same role.
Common Misunderstandings by Non-Lawyers.
- "An applicant is always a job seeker." (No — in legal and financial documents, an applicant is anyone making a formal request, including businesses applying for loans or permits.)
- "Being an applicant means you have no legal rights yet." (Not necessarily — an applicant often has specific rights under the law, such as the right to a fair review of their application.)
Legal definition
A person or entity who formally asks for something, such as a loan, a job, a permit, or a legal decision from a court. An applicant is the party initiating a process by submitting a request to an authority, bank, or other organization.
Examples
Legal: The applicant for a new loan must provide proof of income.
Plain: The person or business asking for a new loan must provide proof of income.
Legal: The applicant name change, if necessary, and any related documentation must be submitted.
Plain: If the person requesting the change needs to update their name, they must submit the necessary paperwork.
Legal: Applicant Borrower has the meaning specified in Section 2.
Plain: The person or business borrowing the money is referred to as the 'Applicant Borrower' as defined in Section 2.
Where you'll see it
- loan applications
- employment contracts
- court filings
- permit and license applications
Related terms
- petitioner
- plaintiff
- claimant
- borrower
- party
Word details
- Pronunciation
- AP-lih-kuhnt
- Part of speech
- noun
- Origin
- Latin — from 'applicare' — to join, attach, or apply
- Domains
- contract law, administrative law, employment law, banking law
- Frequency
- very common
- Formality
- moderate
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