English Reference
Noun

negotiator

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /nəˈɡoʊʃiˌeɪtɝ/ UK /nɪɡˈəʊʃɪˌeɪtɐ/ ne·go·tia·tor UK spelling negotiators

n.a person who helps people or groups reach an agreement. They are usually experts at talking through problems to find a solution that everyone accepts.

n.a person who conducts discussions with others to reach a formal agreement or settlement. Often implies a professional role in business, law, or international diplomacy.


SIMPLE

The company hired a professional negotiator to help with the contract.

CONTEXTUAL

After hours of difficult talks, the lead negotiator finally convinced both sides to sign the peace treaty.

COMPLEX

A skilled negotiator must balance the competing interests of multiple stakeholders while maintaining a neutral stance to ensure the final agreement remains sustainable and fair for all parties involved.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'for' to indicate the party being represented.

Canadian negotiators have been camped out in Washington for a week, trying to pin down some agreement before new 50% tariffs on some $20bn (C$28bn) worth of Canadian imports come into effect on Wednesday.

BBC News· 18 Aug 2026

He and chief negotiator Janice Charette have been in regular meetings with Trump’s chief negotiator Jamieson Greer.

Toronto Sun· 19 Aug 2026

Borrowed from Latin negōtiātor (“merchant, banker”), equivalent to negotiate + -or.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin negōtiātor
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated