## Meanings
1. An urgent, emotional request for help.
2. (law) A defendant's formal answer in court, stating whether they are guilty.
3. An excuse or reason given to justify something.

## Examples
- Her plea for forgiveness moved everyone in the room.
- He entered a plea of not guilty.
- He stayed home on the plea of feeling unwell.

## Synonyms
- plaidoyer

## Derived Forms
- counterplea
- interplea
- plea-bargain

## Related Forms
- plead
- pleasant
- please
- pleasurable
- pleasure

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ple
- Root: plait
- Root: placitum

## Etymology
From Middle English ple, from Old French plait, plaid, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc., Latin an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that which is pleasing, pleasure”), neuter of placitus, past participle of placere (“to please”). Cognate with Spanish pleito (“lawsuit, suit”). Doublet of placit. See also please, pleasure.

## AI Etymology
Plea comes from Middle English ple, from Old French plait, plaid, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc., Latin an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that which is pleasing, pleasure”), neuter of placitus, past participle of placere (“to please”). Cognate with Spanish pleito (“lawsuit, suit”). Doublet of placit. See also please, pleasure. The historical chain includes ple (Middle English), plait (Old French), and placitum (Medieval Latin). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as counterplea, interplea, and plea-bargain and related forms such as plead, pleasant, and please. In present use it covers an urgent, emotional request for help, (law) A defendant's formal answer in court, stating whether they are guilty, and an excuse or reason given to justify something.

## Topics
- Law & Government
- Crime & Justice
- Register & Style

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plea

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