noun
- a person who commits barratry; one who engages in fraudulent or dishonest conduct, especially in maritime or legal matters
Usage: legal/maritime; archaic or formal
Examples
- The ship's captain was accused of being a barrater for deliberately causing damage to collect insurance.
- In maritime law, a barrater might engage in deliberate wrecking or cargo theft.
- The court found the defendant to be a barrater who had repeatedly filed frivolous lawsuits.
- Historical records identified several notorious barraters operating in colonial ports.