上述所有单词均有诉讼之“原告”的含意。plaintiff为通用词，常用于普通法法院的一般民事或刑事案件的初审中，与其相对的被告称为defendant [1]。appellant为“上诉人”，可用于刑事或民事上诉案件中，与其相对的“被上诉人”称为respondent[2]。applicant用于申请某一特别命令的诉讼，也可译为“申诉人”，多用于国际诉讼中，与其相对的“被申诉人”或“被告”常被称为respondent [3]。petitioner多用于衡平法诉讼中，如衡平法院、大法官法院的诉讼以及家事法院的离婚案件，遗嘱验证法院的遗嘱验证案等，与之相对的被告常被称为respondent [4]。demandant为古用语，常用于不动产诉讼，与之相对的被 告被称为tenant[5]。pursuer则为苏格兰法院用语，与之相对的 被告为defender[6]。accuser主要指提起刑事诉讼者，与之相对的被告为the accused[7]。claimant常出现在英国民事诉讼中，与之相对的被告被称为defendant[8]。libel (l) ant则多指在海事或离婚案件中的原告，与其相对的被告则为libel (l) ee[9]。

[1] "The party who brings a civil suit in a court of law" , Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 1171 , West Croup (1999), “The prosecution (i. e. State or United States ) in a criminal case. ”Cf. The Publisher’s Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 796, West Publishing Co. (1991 ).

[2] "A person or party who appeals a court's judgment. ” Cf. Linda Picard Wood, J. D. , Merriam Websters Dictionary of Law, at p. 29 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated (1996).

[3]“One who brings an application or petition. "Cf. Daphne Dukelow, The Dictionary of Canadian Law, at p. 52，Thomson Professional Publishing Canada (1991).