DictionaryRoot: -tor
Latin

-tor

a person or thing that acts

Forms

  • -tor
  • -sor — An altered form in some Latin formations.

Origin

An inherited Latin ending for the performer of an action, with relatives in other Indo-European languages.

Note

Its English descendants name devices and forces as well as people.

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Pale-skinned medieval guard holding large key outside barred cell of adult prisoner, captor role, no injury.
noun

captor

KAP-ter/ˈkæptər/

A person who captures or holds someone prisoner.

Etymology

A captor is literally a taker or catcher. In the prisoner sense, taking someone by force or trickery connects the act of seizure with holding that person afterward.

Full entry

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