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 ( see speculate) + -tor -tor

Explanation

A speculator is someone who takes a chance on losing a lot of money when there's a prospect of making even more money. A speculator might, for example, invest in a risky stock in the hopes she can sell it eventually at a profit. In a way, everyone who invests in the financial market is a bit of a speculator — the possibility of losing money is always there, as is a chance (and hope) of making money. Gamblers are speculators too, hoping to win big but vulnerable to losing everything on a poker game. Less commonly, a speculator is simply someone who speculates, or guesses without enough information. The financial meaning dates from the 18th century.

Example Sentences

Speculator William Duer, a friend of Alexander Hamilton, had borrowed too much money and was about to be thrown into debtors’ prison.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

John Buckingham, the editor of the Prudent Speculator, took the latter approach recently when sharing a list of 17 dividend-stock value picks with MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 17, 2025

Nine blows of the original Granite Mountain whistle sounded Thursday night to break a moment of silence for the lives lost in the 1917 fire at the Granite Mountain and Speculator mines.

From Washington Times • Jun. 9, 2017

Readers who have followed The Prudent Speculator for more than, say, a week are well aware that one of our favorite investment mantras is, “The Only Problem with Market Timing is Getting the Timing Right!”

From Forbes • Feb. 19, 2015

At this time the Captain owned a fine and valuable horse, by the name of Speculator.

From Twenty-Two Years a Slave, and Forty Years a Freeman Embracing a Correspondence of Several Years, While President of Wilberforce Colony, London, Canada West by Steward, Austin