[In form a. L. commentātor, agent-noun from commentāri (see COMMENTATION); hence = ‘inventor, author’ (Tertull.), the modern sense is associated with that of comment, commentary. So mod. F. commentateur.]
† 1. A writer of historical ‘commentaries,’ a chronicler. Obs. rare.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 19. We awe not to condempne commentatores and wryters of storyes spekenge diuersely.
2. A writer of expository comments or critical notes on a literary work; the writer of a commentary.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., I. 3. A Commentator unto the Text, askes the question. Ibid., III. 230. Cornelius à Lapide, a … great Commentatour upon holy Scripture.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., iii § 3 (1669), 583/2. It is said of some Commentators, the places on which they treat were plain till they expounded them.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), III. 274. The tomb of Accursi, a commentator on the law.
1871. B. Taylor, Faust (1875), I. Notes, 219. To find in the author of Faust his own best commentator.
attrib. 1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), III. 189. In our commentator-capacity.
1833. Edin. Rev., LVII. 426. Commentator-learning heaped upon the ‘Divine Comedy.’
