provocateur

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

Borrowing from French provocateur.

Noun

provocateur (plural provocateurs)

1. One who engages in provocative behavior.
   • 2007 February 28, Daniel J. Wakin, “City Opera Lures Director From Paris”:

     Gerard Mortier, an iconoclastic impresario and one of the opera world’s premier provocateurs, will become general manager and artistic director of the New York City Opera in 2009.

2. An undercover agent who incites suspected persons to partake in or commit criminal acts.

Translations

one who engages in provocative behavior

• Bulgarian: провокатор (bg) (provokátor) m 
• Esperanto: provokisto (eo)
• German: Provokateur (de) m, Provokateurin (de) f

• Persian: پرووکاتور (fa) (provokâtor)
• Russian: провокатор (ru) (provokátor) m 
• Spanish: provocador (es)
• Ukrainian: провокатор (uk) (provokátor) m 

undercover agent who incites suspected persons to partake in or commit criminal acts

French

Etymology

Latin provocator. See provoquer, -ateur.

Adjective

provocateur m (feminine provocatrice, masculine plural provocateurs, feminine plural provocatrices)

1. provocative

Noun

provocateur m (plural provocateurs)

1. provoker; one who provokes