atacator

Forms

atacator m (plural atacatori, feminine equivalent atacatoare)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Romanian ataca + -tor, from the verb “to attack” and the agent suffix.^[2][3][4][1] The verb is from French attaquer, with Italian attaccare beside it.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELR's first record is in Costinescu's Romanian–French dictionary of 1870, with the sense “person who attacks”.^[5]

Semantic evolution

The word kept its first sense, “attacker, aggressor”.^[6][2] Sport took it up for the player who opens the play, and MDA2 lists a sense in law, someone who challenges a decision, and one in chess, the player with the white pieces.^[6][3] DEX labels the word rare, and Marcu & Maneca give atacant as a synonym.^[2][7]

Timeline

• 1870 – atacator “person who attacks” in Costinescu's dictionary.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A person who attacks; an attacker, an aggressor.^[2][7]
2. (sports) The player who opens the play.^[6]
3. (law) A person who challenges a decision or an act in court.^[3]
4. (chess) The player with the white pieces.^[3]

Adjective

1. That attacks; destructive; that contaminates.^[3]

Related words

• ataca
• atac
• atacant

Usage notes

The feminine is atacatoare.^[2] Marcu gives agresor and atacant as synonyms.^[4]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 71
3. ^ a b c d e Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 120
4. ^ a b Marcu, Florin (2000), Marele dicționar de neologisme, București: Saeculum Vizual, p. s.v. atacator
5. ^ a b c Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2011–), Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române (DELR), vol. I: A–B (2011), vol. II: C (2015–2018), București: Editura Academiei Române; continued online at delr.lingv.ro, p. s.v. ataca
6. ^ a b c Macrea, Dimitrie; Petrovici, Emil (coord.) (1955–1957), Dicționarul limbii romîne literare contemporane, 4 vols., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, p. 1, 156
7. ^ a b Marcu, Florin; Maneca, Constant (1986), Dicționar de neologisme, 3rd ed., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste România, p. s.v. atacator