Legal Definitions - mactator

The term mactator is a historical legal term that refers to a person who has committed murder. It specifically denotes someone who has unlawfully killed another human being, akin to the modern term "murderer."

• Example 1: In a preserved 14th-century English court record detailing a trial for a violent death, the defendant, accused of striking a fatal blow, was formally referred to in the indictment as the "mactator" of the deceased.

  Explanation: This example illustrates the historical use of "mactator" within official legal proceedings to identify the individual alleged to have committed a killing, directly aligning with its meaning as a murderer.

• Example 2: A medieval chronicle recounting a brutal siege described a particularly ruthless mercenary captain as a notorious "mactator," responsible for the slaughter of many innocent civilians during the conflict.

  Explanation: Here, "mactator" is used in a historical narrative to characterize an individual known for committing multiple acts of unlawful killing, emphasizing the term's application to a person who is a killer.

• Example 3: During a historical play set in ancient Rome, a character, having discovered the body of a rival, dramatically declared, "The mactator of my brother shall not escape justice!"

  Explanation: Even in a fictional historical context, this usage clearly demonstrates "mactator" as the person responsible for a killing, underscoring its historical meaning as a murderer whose actions demand retribution.