suitor

American  

[soo-ter] / ˈsu tər /

noun

• suitors
  plural

1. a man who courts or woos a woman.

2. Law. a petitioner or plaintiff.

3. a person who sues or petitions for anything.

4. Informal. an individual who seeks to buy a business.

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suitor British  

/ ˈsuːtə, ˈsjuːt- /

noun

1. a man who courts a woman; wooer

2. law a person who brings a suit in a court of law; plaintiff

3. rare a person who makes a request or appeal for anything

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• suitors
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of suitor

1250–1300; Middle English s ( e ) utor, suitour < Anglo-French < Latin secūtor, equivalent to secū-, variant stem of sequī to follow + -tor -tor

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Explanation

A suitor is a guy who asks you out on a date. You can describe your sister's prom escort as her suitor. The noun suitor is an old fashioned word for a somewhat old fashioned kind of person: a man who woos or courts a woman. If a boy serenades you from below your bedroom window, he is your suitor, especially if he hopes to marry you one day. In the fourteenth century, a suitor was a fan or follower — the romantic meaning came along almost two hundred years later. The root is the Latin word sequi, "to attend or follow."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

suitor suitors

It is possible the talks with Apollo won’t result in a transaction, however, or another suitor could still emerge, the people cautioned.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

There are no guarantees a deal will come together, as talks could still fall apart or another suitor could emerge.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

While working his way back home, he’s forced to outsmart a vicious beast at close quarters, and he takes up residence with a suitor.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

Robert Pattinson’s oily suitor woos Penelope like a “Bachelorette” contestant: “It’s time to live again,” he urges her, certain that Penelope’s vengeful husband won’t come back.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

After the last drop of spring water has been drunk, the young woman’s suitor is supposed to return to life.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

A social media influencer accused of ripping off wealthy suitors is competent to stand trial in Los Angeles County on criminal charges that she seduced and stole from rich men, a judge announced Friday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

Sony Pictures Entertainment, A24 and the New York Times Co. are among the potential suitors looking to buy the cinephile social network Letterboxd.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

The show, which will launch next year, will follow the familiar format of love-seeking contestants choosing between three potential suitors who are hidden behind a wall.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

The fact that none of Penelope’s suitors could do that marked them as unfit to take his place as Ithaca’s king.

From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026

On their feet at once, 430 the suitors took the road to the sea beach, where, meeting the black ship, they hauled her in.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer

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Related Words

• admirer
• beau
• boyfriend
• lover
• paramour

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