collector

American  

[kuh-lek-ter] / kəˈlɛk tər /

noun

1. a person or thing that collects.

2. a person employed to collect debts, duties, taxes, etc.

3. a person who collects books, paintings, stamps, shells, etc., especially as a hobby.

4. Electricity.  a device for accumulating current from contact conductors.

5. Electronics.  an electrode in a transistor or vacuum tube for collecting electrons, ions, or holes.

6. Metallurgy.  promoter.

7. Energy.  solar collector.

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collector British  

/ kəˈlɛktə /

noun

1. a person or thing that collects

2. a person employed to collect debts, rents, etc

3. the head of a district administration in India

4. a person who collects or amasses objects as a hobby

5. electronics the region in a transistor into which charge carriers flow from the base

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Other Word Forms

• collectorate noun
• collectorship noun
• precollector noun
• subcollector noun
• subcollectorship noun
• undercollector noun

Etymology

Origin of collector

1375–1425; late Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Medieval Latin, equivalent to Latin colleg- (variant stem of colligere; collect ¹ ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

Raanan, a collector of Jewish artefacts, said he fell in love with the book before even seeing it, when an antiques dealer told him about its existence.

From Barron's

She added that it was purchased by a UK-based private collector.

From BBC

The first Roman Torlonia acquired important antique sculptures assembled by earlier collectors, with everything restored to perfection—no missing noses or limbless torsos.

From The Wall Street Journal

Back before YouTube, these were the only way most fans would have access to this kind of footage if you weren’t a rich private collector.

From Salon

Both sites have been heavily impacted by development and the removal of objects by private collectors.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• connoisseur
• hobbyist