tormentor

or tor·ment·er

[ tawr-men-ter, tawr-men- ]

noun

1. a person or thing that torments.
2. Theater. a curtain or framed structure behind the proscenium at both sides of the stage, for screening the wings from the audience. Compare teaser ( def 5 ).

tormentor

/ tɔːˈmɛntə /

noun

1. a person or thing that torments
2. a curtain or movable piece of stage scenery at either side of the proscenium arch, used to mask lights or exits and entrances
3. films a panel of sound-insulating material placed outside the field of the camera to control the acoustics on the sound stage

Word History and Origins

Origin of tormentor¹

1250–1300; Middle English tormento ( u ) r < Anglo-French; Old French tormenteor. See torment, -or ²

Example Sentences

"I'm not a victim of racism. I'm the tormentor of racists," the 24-year-old posted on social media afterwards.

From BBC

For now, though, all this means many Tories zoom from gloom to doom, their grinning tormentor showing them no mercy this time.

From BBC

But you say, he's important because he’s his redemption and also his tormentor.

From Salon

If you drop youth turnout 5 points from FiveThirtyEight’s estimate of 46 percent to 41 percent, Biden can only afford to shed 1 point of support from that group before Donald Trump once again wins the Electoral College and becomes our president and tormentor for four more long years.

From Slate

So she was well suited, in a way, to become friends with a man who went from being the dedicated foot servant of her tormentor to his most dangerous defector.

From Seattle Times

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