speculator

American  

[spek-yuh-ley-ter] / ˈspɛk yəˌleɪ tər /

noun

1. a person who is engaged in commercial or financial speculation.

2. a person who makes advance purchases of tickets, as to games or theatrical performances, that are likely to be in demand, for resale later at a higher price.

3. a person who is devoted to mental speculation.

---

speculator British  

/ ˈspɛkjʊˌleɪtə /

noun

1. a person who speculates

2. rugby an undirected kick of the ball

---

Etymology

Origin of speculator

1545–55; < Latin speculātor explorer, equivalent to speculā ( rī ) to watch over, explore, reconnoiter ( speculate ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

Silver has also soared, sweeping up legions of amateur investors, ranging from newly committed collectors to Reddit-inspired speculators trading in and out of exchange-traded funds that offer exposure to silver without having to store it.

From The Wall Street Journal

Rolex looked at the multibillion-dollar annual trade in its secondhand watches, which is rife with counterfeits and speculators, and decided it had to intervene.

From The Wall Street Journal

Despite this, the latest positioning data shows that speculators remain increasingly bearish on the European gas market.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, speculators are reducing their bets on extended gains, thanks in part to increased volumes and volatility.

From Barron's

Ahead of the August 2024 blowup, speculators were extremely short on the yen.

From MarketWatch