Citator

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A resource or tool that provides references to sources for verification or further reading
2. A publication or device that catalogs citations to help locate original materials
3. Something that compiles or indexes references to legal, academic, or literary works for easy access

Etymology: "Citator" entered English from Latin, where "citator" was an agent noun formed from "citare," meaning "to cite" or "to summon." Its root sense of summoning carries into the English word's later meaning: a citator tells you who has summoned a particular legal authority into their own arguments, and where. In practice, a citator is a reference book or database that lists the cases, statutes, and other legal sources that cite a given authority, along with how each citing source treated it. Lawyers use these to check whether a precedent still stands, whether it has been overruled, or whether later courts have narrowed its reach.