different between investigator vs instigator

English

Etymology

Attested in the mid?16th century; from Latin investigator, from investigare.

Noun

investigator (plural investigators)

1. One who investigates.

Hyponyms

• principal investigator

Derived terms

• co-investigator

Related terms

• investigatrix (feminine)

Translations

References

• investigator in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “investigator”, in Online Etymology Dictionary
• investigator in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Latin

Etymology 1

From invest?g? +? -tor

Noun

invest?g?tor m (genitive invest?g?t?ris); third declension

1. investigator, researcher
   • 2018, Tuomo Pekkanen, Nova formicae species [1], Nuntii Latini 27.4.2018:

     Grex investigatorum in Borneo novam formicae speciem invenit, quae se explodendo communitatem suam defendit.

     A group of researchers in Borneo has found a new species of ant which defends its nest by exploding.

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Descendants

Etymology 2

Verb

invest?g?tor

1. second-person singular future passive imperative of invest?g?
2. third-person singular future passive imperative of invest?g?

References

• investigator in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• investigator in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers

Romanian

Etymology

From French investigateur, from Latin investigator.

Adjective

investigator m or n (feminine singular investigatoare, masculine plural investigatori, feminine and neuter plural investigatoare)

1. investigating

Declension

Noun

investigator m (plural investigatori, feminine equivalent investigatoare)

1. investigator

Derived terms

• investiga
• investigare
• investiga?ie

English

Etymology

From Latin inst?g?tor (“stimulator”), from instig?re (present infinitive of ?nst?g? (“to incite, set on, stimulate, rouse or urge”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to be sharp, to stab; to puncture; to goad”)) + -or (from -? (“suffix forming masculine agent nouns”), from Proto-Indo-European *-h?onh?- (“suffix forming nouns denoting authority or burden”)); cognate with French instigateur.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??nst??e?t?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??nst???e?t?/, /-??/
• Hyphenation: in?sti?gat?or

Noun

instigator (plural instigators)

1. A person who intentionally instigates, incites, or starts something, especially one that creates trouble.
   • 1964, Albert Pepitone, “The Reaction to Boastfulness”, in Attraction and Hostility: An Experimental Analysis of Interpersonal and Self Evaluation (The Atherton Press Behavioral Science Series), New York, N.Y.: Atherton Press, OCLC 490312942; reprinted New Brunswick, N.J.: Aldine Transaction, Transaction Publishers, 2009, ?ISBN, page 77:

     In studies designed to arouse aggression, the instigator often not only threatens the subject, but also expresses an extremely high self-evaluation. Subjects are insulted about their intelligence, sexual attractiveness, and character, and, at the same time, the instigator implies or explicitly describes his own superiority in these respects.

Alternative forms

• instigatour (obsolete, rare)

Synonyms

• inciter
• initiator
• troublemaker

Related terms

• instigate
• instigation

Translations

Latin

Verb

?nst?g?tor

1. second-person singular future passive imperative of ?nst?g?
2. third-person singular future passive imperative of ?nst?g?

References

• instigator in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• instigator in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• instigator in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• instigator in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

Romanian

Etymology

From French instigateur

Noun

instigator m (plural instigatori)

1. instigator

Declension