Origin: Greek suffix -ist
Agonist has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
the principal character in a work of fiction
"The author spent months developing the agonist's backstory before revealing his true motivations to the audience."
someone involved in a contest or battle (as in an agon)
"After years of training, she stepped onto the mat as the champion's next opponent to face her in the final agon."
a muscle that contracts while another relaxes
"when bending the elbow the biceps are the agonist"
(biochemistry) a drug that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction
"The new medication acts as an agonist for pain receptors, providing relief by mimicking the body's natural chemical signals."
Someone involved in a contest or battle (as in an agon), protagonist.
"In the heated debate between the two rival factions, she emerged as the true antagonist while her ally stood firm as the primary agonist of their cause."