Other forms: arbiters
An arbiter is somebody with the power to settle a dispute. The final arbiter, an arbiter of taste, act as arbiter.
The figurative use is the commoner: an arbiter of taste is somebody whose judgement others accept without being obliged to. The Latin means one who goes to see, so an arbiter was first a witness.
1nounarbiterSomebody with the power to settle a dispute.
“The referee is the final arbiter of what happens on the pitch.”
arbiter is a judge.
Latin arbiter means a witness or judge, literally one who goes to see.
Latin
arbiter — a witness, judge, literally one who goes to see
Old French
arbitre
Middle English
arbiter
English, today
arbiter
From Middle English arbiter, arbytour, arbitre, from Old French arbitre, from Latin arbiter (“a witness, judge, literally one who goes to see”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA