conspirator
UK: /kənˈspɪrətə/ | US: /kənˈspɪrətər/
n. a person who takes part in a conspiracy
n. someone who secretly plans with others to commit an unlawful or harmful act
The word "conspirator" traces back to Latin conspirare ("to breathe together"), combining con- (together) and spirare (to breathe). The metaphor implies secrecy, as whispering closely resembles shared breathing. Over time, conspirator evolved to denote someone involved in a covert plot, retaining the original sense of collective hidden action. The suffix -ator marks the agent (doer) of the action.
The conspirators met in a dimly lit basement to finalize their plan.
Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of conspirators, including Brutus.
The police arrested the main conspirator behind the fraud scheme.
History often remembers the conspirator but forgets their motives.
She was unaware her colleague was a conspirator in the corporate espionage.