Predicatori

Predicatori is an Italian term that can refer to preachers in general, or, in historical or religious contexts, to the members of the Dominican Order. The word derives from Latin praedicator, “one who proclaims,” from praedicare, “to declare publicly.” In everyday Italian, predicatori may describe clergy who travel or preach publicly, or individuals who give sermons.

In religious history, predicatori often denotes the Predicatori, i.e., the Dominican Order (Ordo Praedicatorum). Founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century, the Dominicans are a mendicant order dedicated to preaching, teaching, and scholarship. They played a central role in medieval theology, education, and missionary activity. The term “Predicatori” is used in Italian discussions of Dominican history and identity, alongside the common name “Domenicani.”

In linguistics, predicator is a term used in some older or specialized grammars to refer to the element that expresses the predication of a sentence, typically the verb or verb phrase. Modern Italian linguistics usually uses “predicato” or “predicato verbale” for the predicate, and the plural predicatori would be rarely used outside historical or dialectal texts.

See also: predication, predicate, Ordo Praedicatorum, Domenican (Dominican) Order.