What does relator mean?
A relator is someone who tells, presents, or formally reports something. In ordinary literary or historical use, the word denotes a narrator or storyteller who communicates an account to an audience. For example, a witness may be described as the relator of a particular incident. In law, however, a relator is a person who brings a lawsuit or formal claim before a court, so the term identifies the party presenting the dispute rather than the person judging it. The word is more formal than the everyday terms narrator and storyteller, and its legal use is especially associated with legal documents and proceedings. Relator can also refer broadly to a person who states a fact or conveys information. Its defining feature is the act of presenting an account: whether through speech, writing, or formal legal procedure.
nounA relator is a person who relates or tells something, especially a story or account. In legal contexts, it can also mean a person who brings a lawsuit or formal claim before a court.
- A person who relates or narrates something.
- In law, the person who brings or presents a suit or claim.
"The relator opened the story with a vivid account of the journey."
"The relator described the events in detail to the committee."
"As relator of the complaint, she asked the court to hear the dispute."
The plural is used when referring to multiple people who tell or formally present accounts.
"The relators gave separate accounts of the incident."
In court, a relator is not the judge or witness: it is the person formally bringing the case.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does relator come from?
Relator comes from Latin relator, an agent noun meaning “one who brings back” or “one who reports,” formed from the Latin verb referre, “to carry back” or “to report.” The English word entered usage through the language of law and formal reporting, while its sense of a storyteller developed in literary and historical contexts. It belongs to a family of English words associated with Latin referre and its relatives, including relation, relative, and relegate.
Related word forms
How relator is actually used
Outside legal contexts, the word is relatively formal and literary. Its legal sense is more common in some jurisdictions and in older legal documents.
Easily confused with relator
A relator is a person who tells or presents an account, whereas a relation is a connection, relationship, or family member.
A narrator generally tells a story in a literary or spoken account, while a relator can also be used in legal language for someone who brings a claim.