provocator

Provocator is a Latin noun meaning “one who provokes; instigator; inciter.” It is formed from provocare, the verb “to provoke, challenge, or incite,” with the agent-noun suffix -ator, yielding the sense of a person who performs the action of provoking.

In classical Latin, provocator could be used to describe a person who provokes or challenges others, including an instigator in legal or political matters. The word appears in texts as a descriptive label rather than as a fixed official title; more common terms for similar roles in Latin are accuser or provocator in particular contexts, depending on author and genre.

In English usage, provocator is rare and largely found in scholarly discussions or translational passages rather than in contemporary speech. When used, it often functions as a quasi-Latin epithet or as a coined proper name or title in fiction, where a character is characterized by provocation or manipulation of events. It is not a standard legal term in modern English; closer equivalents include instigator or provocateur, the latter being a borrowed French term for someone who deliberately stirs up trouble, often for political purposes.

See also: provocateur, provocation, provocation-related terms, accuser, instigator.