Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "mai rakiya" mawaƙi ne wanda ke yin rakiya ga mawaƙa ko mawaƙa, yawanci a cikin rawar tallafi. Abokin rakiya na iya kunna piano, guitar, ko wasu kayan kida, kuma aikinsu shine tallafawa soloist ta hanyar kunna jituwa, rhythms, da sauran abubuwan kiɗa waɗanda ke haɓaka sautin wasan gabaɗaya. Ana iya kuma a kira masu rakiya da su ba da rakiyar kida don wasan raye-raye, wasan kwaikwayo, da sauran nau'ikan abubuwan fasaha.