raisonneur

[rez-uh-nur; French re-zaw-nœr]

noun, plural rai·son·neurs

[rez-uh-nurz; French re-zaw-nœr] /ˌrɛz əˈnɜrz; French rɛ zɔˈnœr/.

a character in a play, novel, or the like who voices the central theme, philosophy, or point of view of the work.

Origin of raisonneur

1900–05; < French: literally, one who reasons or argues, equivalent to raisonn(er) to reason, argue + -eur -eur

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for raisonneur

Historical Examples of raisonneur

Since I was lugged, even as a sort of raisonneur, into their little drama, I may be pardoned for some curiosity as to development.
The Mountebank
William J. Locke