Resister

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Someone who actively opposes or refuses to comply with authority, control, or an opposing force
2. A person who stands against or defies a rule, law, or power by not yielding
3. An individual who blocks, withstands, or declines to accept imposed demands or pressures

Etymology: The word is a plain English formation: the verb "resist" with the agent suffix "-er" attached, so it names a person who resists. That suffix came into English through Middle English from Old French "-ier," which descended from Latin "-arius," a common ending for people connected with a trade or role. The verb underneath has a more layered history. It was borrowed through Anglo-Norman "resister" and Middle English "resisten" from Latin "resistere," built from "re-" meaning "back" or "against" and "sistere," meaning "to stand" or "to make stand." So the core image is standing firm against something pressing in. "Resistere" itself was an intensive form of "sistere," which relates to "stare," "to stand." Because the noun is formed from an English verb, its meaning follows that of "resist" directly: a person who stands against an imposed demand or pressure, whether by refusing, blocking, or simply holding out.

Synonyms: opponent, defender, protester, dissenter, challenger

Antonyms: supporter, follower, advocate, proponent, ally