A nominator is someone who officially suggests a person for an award, position, or honor. When your teacher chooses you to represent your class in the school spelling bee, she's acting as your nominator. When the Academy Awards happen each year, thousands of film industry professionals serve as nominators, choosing which movies and performances deserve recognition.

The word comes from nominate, which means to formally propose someone or something. A nominator doesn't make the final decision: they simply put a name forward for consideration. Think of it like raising your hand to suggest a book for the class to read together. You're nominating the book, but the class still has to vote.

In some situations, being a nominator carries real responsibility. Nobel Prize nominators, for example, must be invited to participate because the committee trusts their judgment. They can't nominate themselves, only others whose work they believe deserves the prize.

You might also see the phrase nominating committee, which is a group of people whose job is to identify and propose candidates for positions or awards. Whether it's one person or a committee, nominators play an important role in recognizing achievement and talent.