1. A plea in court in which a defendant accepts conviction without admitting guilt; short for 'nolo contendere.'
Usage: legal; formal

Examples

• The defendant entered a nolo plea to avoid a lengthy trial.
• By accepting a nolo, she did not admit to the charges but agreed to accept the sentence.
• The judge accepted the nolo and imposed a fine.
• A nolo plea allows a defendant to resolve the case without a full admission of guilt.
• The attorney advised his client that a nolo might be a strategic option in this case.