- Original: βασανιστής - Transliteration: Basanistes - Phonetic: bas-an-is-tace' - Definition: 1. one who elicits the truth by the use of the rack a. an inquisitor, torturer also used of a jailer doubtless because the business of torturing was also assigned to him - Origin: from G928 - TDNT entry: 10:22,0 - Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine - Strong's: From G928 ; a torturer: - tormentor.