collector

noun

col·​lec·​tor kə-ˈlek-tər 

: one that collects: such as

a

: an official who collects funds or moneys

b

: a person who makes a collection

stamp collector

c

: an object or device that collects

the statuette was a dust collector

d

: solar collector

collectorship

kə-ˈlek-tər-ˌship 

noun

Examples of collector in a Sentence

He is an avid stamp collector.

The painting was purchased by a private collector.

The trash collectors came early today.

Recent Examples on the Web

For card collectors, ripping open a new pack and pulling a rare card can evoke a lot of emotion. —Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 22 Aug. 2025

And even if collectors could find a disc on sale, eBay prices soared to around $300 a pop. —Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2025

Bottles that even some collectors didn't know still existed. —Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

Avid watch collectors Mark Wahlberg, John Mayer, and Andy Cohen are said to have already dropped by—proof that even celebrities must court the Crown. —Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English collectour, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin collēctōr-, collēctor, from colleg-, variant stem of colligere "to gather together, assemble, accumulate" + -tōr-, -tor, agent suffix — more at collect entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing collector

• collector's item
• solar collector

Rhymes for collector

• bisector
• connector
• corrector
• defector
• deflector
• detector
• director
• dissector
• effector
• ejector
• elector
• erector

Kids Definition

collector

noun

col·​lec·​tor kə-ˈlek-tər 

1

: a person whose job is to collect money due

tax collector

bill collector

2

: one that makes a collection

stamp collector

3

: an object or device that collects

the ornament was just a dust collector