hostage negotiator

noun

A person who negotiates with a person, or groups of persons, for the release of a person, or groups of persons.

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Meanings

nounhostage negotiator (plural hostage negotiators)

plural hostage negotiators

  1. governmentA person who negotiates with a person, or groups of persons, for the release of a person, or groups of persons.

Origin

Modern hostage negotiation principles began in 1972 when, then New York Police Detective Harvey Schlossberg, a police officer with a PHD in psychology, recognized the need for trained personnel in the intervention of hostage situations.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Hungarian túsztárgyaló
  • túsztárgyalóa person who negotiates with a person, or groups of persons, for the release of a person, or groups of persons
Cite this entry
APA

hostage negotiator. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hostage%20negotiator

MLA

“hostage negotiator.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hostage%20negotiator. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hostage negotiator,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hostage%20negotiator.

Source: hostage negotiator on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.