-ator

suffix

Used to form agent nouns, usually from verbs that have the ending -ate.

OriginMiddle English -atour ← Old French -ator ← Latin -ātor, -ātōrem →
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Meanings

suffix
  1. Used to form agent nouns, usually from verbs that have the ending -ate.

Origin

  1. Latin-ātor, -ātōrem
  2. Old French-ator
  3. Middle English-atour
  4. English-ator

Inherited from Middle English -atour, from Old French -ator and its etymon Latin -ātor, -ātōrem; reinforced by -ate + -or.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

-ator. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ator

MLA

“-ator.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ator. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ator,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ator.

Source: -ator on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.