interrogator
C1Formal, Technical, Journalistic
Definition
Meaning
A person who asks questions systematically and often aggressively, especially in an official capacity.
A device or system that transmits a signal to elicit a response (e.g., in radar or electronic identification).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes a human agent, but has a specialized technical sense in computing and electronics. The human sense strongly implies a power imbalance and an official or hostile context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both varieties use the term identically.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of formal/official questioning or coercion in both dialects.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American media due to prevalent discussions of intelligence and law enforcement.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[interrogator] + [of] + [prisoner/suspect][interrogator] + [verb] + [object] (e.g., the interrogator pressed him)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Good cop, bad cop (describes an interrogation technique, not the interrogator per se)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Potentially in internal investigations or audit contexts.
Academic
Used in political science, history, law, and psychology discussing methods of inquiry.
Everyday
Uncommon. Associated with police procedurals, spy films, and news about detainees.
Technical
Standard in electronics for a device that activates and reads data from a transponder (RFID interrogator).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The officer was trained to interrogator suspects effectively. (RARE - usually 'to interrogate')
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The police interrogator asked many questions.
- In the film, the interrogator was very scary.
- The suspect remained silent despite the interrogator's relentless questioning.
- An experienced interrogator can detect subtle signs of deception.
- The defence lawyer argued that the evidence was tainted by the interrogator's coercive techniques.
- The RFID system consists of tags and a central interrogator that emits radio waves.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an INTERROGATOR as the one who makes a ROGUE person (rogue is in the middle of the word) answer questions.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUESTIONING IS A BATTLE / QUESTIONING IS EXTRACTION (The interrogator 'wages' an interrogation, 'breaks' the subject, 'extracts' information).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите как "интеррогатор" (несуществующее слово).
- Основной перевод: "допрашивающий", "следователь".
- Технический термин: "запросчик" (устройство).
- Не смешивать с "интервьюер" (более нейтральный).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'interogator' (missing an 'r').
- Using it as a synonym for any interviewer (e.g., a job interviewer).
- Confusing 'interrogator' (person) with 'interrogatory' (a set of written questions in law).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'interrogator' LEAST likely be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. An 'interviewer' is neutral (e.g., for a job, news). An 'interrogator' implies an official, often adversarial context with an imbalance of power.
Yes, in technical fields like radar and RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification), an 'interrogator' is a device that sends a signal to query a transponder or tag.
The verb is 'to interrogate'. An interrogator is someone who interrogates.
It is context-dependent but generally carries a formal and often negative connotation, associated with authority, pressure, and potentially coercion, especially in human contexts.