transgresor

Transgresor is a noun denoting a person who commits a transgression, meaning a violation of a law, rule, norm, or boundary. The word derives from Latin transgredi, “to go beyond,” with the agentive suffix -or.

In English and other languages, transgressor is often a formal or literary alternative to offender or violator. It is used across disciplines such as law, theology, sociology, and philosophy to emphasize crossing a boundary rather than simply labeling someone a criminal. A transgressor may violate civil or criminal law, or breach social or moral norms.

Examples include someone who commits theft and is thereby a legal transgressor, or someone who breaks a religious commandment and is described as a transgressor in a moral sense. Transgressions can be intentional or inadvertent, and the resulting sanctions can range from social disapproval to legal penalties. In sociology and cultural studies, the concept of transgression also serves to analyze how norms are tested, negotiated, or challenged, including in art and counterculture.

See also: transgression, norm, boundary, sanction, offender, violator. Note: the plural form is transgressors. Synonyms include offender, violator, and delinquent; the precise meaning and connotations of transgressor depend on context and culture.