assailant
noun
as·sail·ant ə-ˈsā-lənt 
plural assailants
: a person who attacks someone violently
an assault by an unknown assailant
She could identify the assailant and his two accomplices, and she wanted to press charges.
Jennifer Baumgardner
Jennifer BaumgardnerDetectives speculated that she may have been punched on the chin, perhaps knocked unconscious by her assailant. Joseph Wambaugh
Joseph Wambaugh
Synonyms
- assaulter
- attacker
- bushwhacker
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
First Known Use
1523, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who attacks someone violently
Legal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
assailant
noun
as in attacker
one who violently sets upon another the darkness prevented me from getting a good look at my assailant Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- attacker
- assaulter
- robber
- predator
- bushwhacker
- aggressor
- rapist
- invader
- besieger
- raper
- mugger
- raider
- molester
- counterattacker
- ravager