noun / verb
prejudice
Harm to someone's legal rights or interests.
The premature disclosure could prejudice the defendant's right to a fair trial.
Etymology
Latin praeiudicium meant a prior judgment. The word developed a legal sense of injury or disadvantage affecting a person’s position, retained in expressions such as without prejudice.
More examples
- The claim was dismissed without prejudice.
- They argued that the delay caused legal prejudice.
- The settlement did not prejudice their remaining rights.
Forms
prejudice · prejudices · prejudiced · prejudicing