Facilitators

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Agents who aid in simplifying processes and interactions across diverse areas
2. Individuals who enhance the efficiency of activities by providing support and guidance to groups or projects
3. People who assist in making tasks and activities proceed more smoothly and efficiently

Etymology: "Facilitator" is an English agent noun formed from the verb "facilitate" plus the suffix "-or," which marks someone or something that performs an action. The verb "facilitate" was built from "facile," borrowed from French and ultimately from Latin "facilis," meaning "easy" or "doable," itself related to "facere," "to make or do." Facilitate in the sense of "to make easy or less difficult" appeared in English around the early 1600s, and the noun followed later, mainly in the 19th and 20th centuries. The sense of the word has changed little from its origins. Its root idea is making something "easy to do," so a facilitator is literally one who makes things easier. The plural "facilitators" simply pluralizes this agent noun, so the same history applies.

Synonyms: enablers, assistants, helpers