Rallier

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who brings people together to unite or support a cause
2. An individual who gathers and encourages a group to act collectively
3. Someone who organizes or inspires others to join a common effort

Etymology: "Rallier" is simply the noun "rally" with the agent suffix "-er" attached, so it means one who rallies or brings people together. The base verb "rally" comes from French "rallier," meaning to reunite or bring back into order, built from "re-" and "allier" (to ally, join). That French verb descends from Latin "alligare," to bind or tie to, which is also the source of "ally." The sense of gathering scattered forces is the key to the word's history. "Rally" first described soldiers regrouping after a retreat, and the image of troops reassembled into formation later widened into bringing together any group of people for a common cause. "Rallier" follows that path, naming the person who does the gathering rather than the gathering itself.

Synonyms: organizer, leader