Confirmator

Confirmator is a noun used to describe a person, device, or process that provides confirmation or validation of a claim, action, or document. The term derives from the Latin confirmare, meaning “to make firm.” In different domains it has distinct senses and implications.

In religious contexts, a confirmator may refer to the minister who administers the sacrament of Confirmation. In many Christian traditions this is typically a bishop, though in some rites a priest with proper faculties may confer the sacrament. The term appears in historical or doctrinal writings to denote the one who confirms the candidate.

In legal and administrative contexts, a confirmator is a person who authenticates or witnesses the execution of a document or the validity of a signature. A confirmator may certify that an instrument, such as a will or deed, has been properly signed and witnessed, thereby helping to establish its legitimacy.

In computing and modern usage, a confirmator can be a user interface element or software module that requests explicit user confirmation before proceeding with an action, particularly when the action is potentially irreversible. In security protocols, a confirmator step may verify consent or validate an asserted claim before granting access or performing operations.

Etymology and related terms: Confirmator comes from Latin confirmare. Related terms include confirmatory, confirmation, and confirmand (the person being confirmed). The exact meaning of confirmator varies by field, but across contexts it denotes the act or role of confirming.