commentator

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A person who describes an event live on radio or television.

   The commentator grew excited as the runner crossed the line.

2. 2
   noun

   A person who reports on and analyses news or current events.

   A political commentator discussed the election results.

In form, from Middle English commentator, from Latin commentātor (“author, inventor, interpreter, jailer”), from commentātus + -or (“-er: forming agent nouns”), from commentāri (“to ponder, to study, to write upon”), from comminīscor (“to think over, to invent”) + -tārī (“to frequently be ~ed”). In meaning, influenced by comment and commentary. By surface analysis, comment + -ator.

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