observer; spectator; member of the public; visitor; audience; gallery
Refers to a person who attends a formal proceeding, meeting, or event as a non-participant, especially in legal or official contexts. Often used for courtroom spectators or public observers.
The courtroom spectators watched quietly.
The public gallery was full.
Compound of 傍聴 (attending as an observer) + 者 (person). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is conventionally associated with formal observation.