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Synonyms

finder

American  
[fahyn-der] / ˈfaɪn dər /

noun

  • finders
    plural
  1. a person or thing that finds.

  2. Photography.

    1. a range finder.

    2. Also called viewfinder.  a camera part or attachment enabling a photographer to determine what will be included in the picture.

  3. Astronomy. a small, wide-angled telescope attached to a larger one for locating objects to be studied.

  4. a person or firm that acts as agent in initiating a business transaction.


finder British  
/ ˈfaɪndə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that finds

  2. physics a small low-power wide-angle telescope fitted to a more powerful larger telescope, used to locate celestial objects to be studied by the larger instrument

  3. photog short for viewfinder

  4. informal whoever finds something has the right to keep it

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of finder

First recorded in 1250–1300, finder is from the Middle English word findere. See find, -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Introducing a finder tag, an upgraded watch that checks for respiratory problems and the latest artificial intelligence superpowers in smartphones, Google on Wednesday will unveil its newest Pixel offerings.

From Barron's Aug. 12, 2026

The finder must also provide an affidavit stating when and where the property was found and describing it in detail.

From MarketWatch Aug. 11, 2026

Today, the company’s products, including an AI-driven app and range finder, act as a virtual caddie, one that recommends the club you should use and the optimal landing area for each shot.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 10, 2026

In the meantime a new fuel finder app, which makes prices available to motorists, and now covers more than 90% of fuel retailers, should help to ensure a more competitive market for fuel.

From BBC Mar. 13, 2026

When I went to Path finder, I watched Phobos transit the sky to figure out the east-west axis.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

The goldmining museum, which contains a collection of artifacts dating back to the 1874 Black Hills Gold Rush, offers panning lessons and the chance to prospect on its land, finders keepers.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 13, 2025

“They gave it to us, as, I guess you call it a finders keepers thing,” Kane said.

From Seattle Times Jun. 4, 2024

The auction took place on 21 February and the money was shared between the finders and the landowner.

From BBC Feb. 22, 2024

Some cheered him on in his bid for freedom; others were simply impressed he had managed to elude his finders for so long.

From New York Times Feb. 1, 2024

“In other words, finders keepers! Speaking of which, what is the condition of those Incorrigible pups these days?”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

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