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

The album, re-released in limited quantities on red translucent vinyl, was clearly a hot ticket item among collectors and longtime fans of the outfit. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

More than 30 coin dealers will have high quality coins for the beginner to advanced collectors. —Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025

The shop is reminiscent of an art collector’s home. —Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 21 Apr. 2025

Owned by collectors Thomas and Daphne Kaplan, the more than 200 paintings and drawings represent one of the world’s largest private collections of 17th-century Dutch art, according to a statement. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 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