APA Dictionary of Psychology

n. in case grammar, the entity that experiences the effect of the action, state, or process described in a sentence, such as John in John sees Mary, The wind felt soft to John, and The walk invigorated John. Note that experiencer case is independent of the grammatical role of John in the sentence. The category, which overlaps with that of patient, is usually reserved for animate nouns capable of sensory or emotional experience. See also agent; instrumental.