Moderators

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals tasked with overseeing discussions or forums to ensure adherence to rules and guidelines
2. Persons responsible for facilitating conversations in online communities by enforcing standards of conduct
3. Participants in digital platforms who manage user interactions and maintain order in discussions

Etymology: "Moderators" is the plural of "moderator", a word that was borrowed from Latin "moderātor", meaning a governor or ruler, someone who keeps things within bounds. The English form first appeared in Middle English as "moderatour", so the word has been part of the language for many centuries, long before anyone was policing internet forums. The Latin root is "moderari", "to keep within measure", which in turn comes from "modus", meaning measure or manner. English speakers can see the same family in "modest", "mode" and "moderate". The "-or" ending marks a person or thing that performs the action, so a moderator is literally one who keeps something to a measure. Its modern sense, a person who supervises discussion in a meeting or online forum, grew out of the older idea of someone who presides over a debate or regulates proceedings. The online use is therefore an extension of an old role rather than a new invention.

Synonyms: facilitators, mediators