instigator

[ in-sti-gey-ter ]
See synonyms for instigator on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a person or thing that provokes or incites an action or course:Peaceful protesters outnumbered the violent instigators, and they kept the demonstration from becoming a riot.Plays to be performed at the festival focus on a theme of how youth can be the instigators of positive change.

Origin of instigator

1
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin instigātor, equivalent to instigāt(us) + -or -or2; see instigate
  • Rarely in·sti·gant [in-sti-guhnt] /ˈɪn stɪ gənt/ .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024