Coaxers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. One who persuades or influences another with gentle and persistent effort
2. A person who uses soft words or flattery to achieve a desired outcome
3. Someone skilled in the art of persuasion, often through soothing or comforting means

Etymology: "Coaxers" is the plural of "coaxer," a person who coaxes, built from the verb "coax" plus the agent ending "-er." That ending came into English through Middle English "-ere" and Old French "-ier" from Latin "-arius," which marked a person connected with a task or trade. The verb itself is of uncertain origin, but it may come from "cokes," an old word for a simpleton, which would suggest that "coax" first meant to make a fool of someone before it came to mean gentle persuasion.

Synonyms: persuaders, encouragers, manipulators, influencers, cajolers