Obs. [a. L. tractātor, agent-n. f. tractāre: see TRACT v.1 and -OR 2 c.] One who treats of a subject; the writer of a tractate.
a. 1638. Mede, Wks. (1672), 386. Justin Martyr, Theophilus Antiochenus, Irenæus, or it may be another small Tractator or two.
1686. W. Hopkins, trans. Ratramnus, Dissert. ii. (1688), 25. Phil. Labbe numbers him among the Catholick Tractators, Radbert, Lanfranc, and Guitmund.
1725. trans. Dupin’s Eccl. Hist. 17th C., I. v. 65. This Name of Treatise was given to it [sermon], because the Holy Scripture was explained in it; and it is upon that account that the Preachers were call’d Tractators.
b. spec. Any one of the writers of ‘Tracts for the Times’: see TRACT sb.1 3 b.
1842. Kingsley, in Life (1877), I. 81. Talking of the Tractators—so you still like their tone! And so do I.
1844. R. M. Beverley, Ch. Eng. Examined, Pref. (ed. 2), 12. The Oxford tractators … write for this one object, to bring Christians from the Scriptures into tradition.
