Word of the Day

: August 20, 2008

rapporteur

noun ra-por-TER

What It Means

: a person who gives reports (as at a meeting of a learned society)

rapporteur in Context

The rapporteur compiled the available evidence into a report and presented it to the full committee.

Did You Know?

"Rapporteur" was adopted into English in the early 16th century and is a descendant of the Middle French verb "rapporter," meaning "to bring back, report, or refer." Other descendants of "rapporter" in English include "rapportage" (a rare synonym of "reportage," in the sense of "writing intended to give an account of observed or documented events") and "rapport" ("harmonious relationship"). The words "report," "reporter," "reportage," etc., are also distant relatives of "rappouteur"; all can ultimately be traced back to the Latin prefix "re-," meaning "back, again, against," and the Latin word "portare," meaning "to carry."