[f. CLAIM v. (or sb.) + -ANT: app. in its origin a quasi Law term, on the analogy of appellant, defendant, etc.; cf. annuitant, chargeant.] One who makes or enters a claim; one who has a claim upon anything.
(The appellation was particularly applied for several years after 1870 to the claimant of the Tichborne baronetcy, whose trial for perjury occupied 188 days of 1873–4.)
1742. Gentl. Mag., XVII. 556. Claimants upon the Act for abolishing heritable jurisdiction [in Scotland], with the sums demanded.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 165, ¶ 7. The obstacles which … obstruct the first attempts of a new claimant.
1785. Burke, Corr. (1844), III. 35. I have no doubt that there are some fair and legal claimants on the public revenue.
1842. Mrs. Browning, Grk. Chr. Poets (1863), 146. The first English claimant of a dramatic reputation.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 27. Reason and wisdom … are the very claimants, if not for the first, at least for the second place.
1883. Congregationalist, Sept., 728. Some people think that the notorious Claimant really persuaded himself … that he was Sir Roger Tichborne.
