relator
|re-la-tor|
🇺🇸
/rɪˈleɪtər/
🇬🇧
/rɪˈleɪtə/
person who reports or brings a matter
Etymology
'relator' originates from Medieval Latin, specifically the word 'relator', which comes from Latin 'relatus', the past participle of 'referre' meaning 'to bring back' or 'to relate'.
'relator' changed from Medieval Latin word 'relator' into legal and literary use in English via Middle English and ecclesiastical Latin, eventually taking on specialized legal senses in modern English.
Initially, it meant 'one who reports or relates' (a narrator or reporter), but over time it developed the specialized legal meaning of 'one who brings an action on behalf of the state or public interest'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
in law, a person who brings a suit or action on behalf of the government or public interest, especially the private individual who files a qui tam action under statutes like the False Claims Act.
The relator filed a qui tam complaint alleging that the contractor had submitted false invoices to the government.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/21 14:36