bailor

American

[bey-ler, bey-lawr] / ˈbeɪ lər, beɪˈlɔr /

noun

a person who delivers personal property in bailment.

bailor British

/ beɪˈlɔː, ˈbeɪlə /

noun

contract law a person who retains ownership of goods but entrusts possession of them to another under a bailment

"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

Etymology

Origin of bailor

First recorded in 1595–1605; bail ¹ + -or ²

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.

His lawyers had earlier told CNA that Maximilien's parents had flown over to Singapore and that a representative from his school would be his bailor.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

The bailor has the power and intent to exclude the bailee from the goods, and therefore may be said to be in possession of them as against the bailee.

From The Common Law by Holmes, Oliver Wendell

A bailor need not always be the owner of the thing bailed.

From Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman by Bolles, Albert Sidney

A corporation may act as bailor or bailee, and an agent acting therefor would render the corporation liable unless he acted beyond the scope of his authority.

From Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman by Bolles, Albert Sidney

Perhaps the bailor has a right to claim his property again, at any time, if it is bailed gratuitously, though I am not certain.

From Rollo's Museum by Abbott, Jacob

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023