What does revoker mean?
A revoker is a person or official with the authority to withdraw, cancel, or annul something that has been granted or authorized. The term is especially common in legal and administrative language, where a licence, permit, privilege, grant, or prior decision may be revoked by a designated authority. “Revoker” denotes the person who exercises the power of revocation, rather than the action itself; “revocation” names the process or decision, while “revoke” is the verb. Although the word can be used in general contexts, it is more typical of formal documents, regulations, and institutional procedures. It is also occasionally used when discussing powers of attorney or delegated authority, where one person may have been expressly empowered to revoke the authority granted to another. The term is uncommon enough that its meaning is usually inferable from context, but it remains precise when the identity or function of the person revoking an authorization matters.
nounA person or authority that revokes, especially one empowered to annul a grant, privilege, licence, or other legal authorization.
- A person or official who revokes or annuls an authorization, permission, privilege, grant, or licence.
"The licensing board appointed a revoker to examine the permits issued under the former regulations."
"No single revoker could cancel the order without consulting the committee."
"In the contract, the regulator was designated as the final revoker of the operating licence."
The plural is used when referring to more than one person or authority with revoking power.
"The governors appointed two independent revokers to review the licences."
A revoker can take back permission: the word names the person who has the authority to undo an authorization.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does revoker come from?
Revoker is formed from the English verb “revoke” with the agent suffix “-er,” meaning a person who performs the action. “Revoke” comes through Old French from Latin revocare, composed of re- “back” and vocare “to call,” originally referring to calling something back or recalling a judgment or decision.
Related word forms
How revoker is actually used
This is a relatively uncommon, formal or legal noun. It is most often used in administrative, legal, or institutional contexts rather than in everyday speech.