Is the word assassinator legitimate? [closed]

I realize assassin is shorter and easier, but is assassinator a legitimate word? Is there any semantic difference between the two?

I realize in a historical context assassin can be used to refer to a member of the Islamic Assassin sect, I'm curious about the more common 'murderer' definition.

Solution 1:

Assassin is the original term, assassinator, a later term, comes from assassinate. Assassinator is a much less common term than assassin (see Ngram):

• 1530s (in Anglo-Latin from mid-13c.), via French and Italian, from Arabic hashishiyyin "hashish-users," plural of hashishiyy, from the source of hashish (q.v.). A fanatical Ismaili Muslim sect of the time of the Crusades, under leadership of the "Old Man of the Mountains" (translates Arabic shaik-al-jibal, name applied to Hasan ibu-al-Sabbah), with a reputation for murdering opposing leaders after intoxicating themselves by eating hashish. The plural suffix -in was mistaken in Europe for part of the word (compare Bedouin).

Assassinate:

• 1610s, from past participle stem of Medieval Latin assassinare (see assassin). "Assassinate means to kill wrongfully by surprise, suddenly, or by secret assault" [Century Dictionary]. Of reputations, characters, etc., from 1620s.

Ngram: assassin vs assassinator

The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style defines assassinator as an unnecessary variant of assassin.

(Etymonline)

Solution 2:

Surprisingly to me because I wasn't expecting it to be, turns out it is!

Assassinator

a person who assassinates [Collins English Dictionary]

Example sentence:

The assassinator comes just a month after Paraguay's congress voted to start impeachment proceedings against Mr Cubas. (not the best example I'd have thought of, but Collins is generally trustworthy so we'll go with it)