collector

American  

[kuh-lek-ter] / kəˈlɛk tər /

noun

• collectors
  plural

1. a person or thing that collects.

2. a person employed to collect debts, duties, taxes, etc.

3. a person who collects books, paintings, stamps, shells, etc., especially as a hobby.

4. Electricity. a device for accumulating current from contact conductors.

5. Electronics. an electrode in a transistor or vacuum tube for collecting electrons, ions, or holes.

6. Metallurgy. promoter.

7. Energy. solar collector.

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collector British  

/ kəˈlɛktə /

noun

1. a person or thing that collects

2. a person employed to collect debts, rents, etc

3. the head of a district administration in India

4. a person who collects or amasses objects as a hobby

5. electronics the region in a transistor into which charge carriers flow from the base

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• collectorate
  noun
• collectorship
  noun
• precollector
  noun
• subcollector
  noun
• subcollectorship
  noun
• undercollector
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• collectors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of collector

1375–1425; late Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Medieval Latin, equivalent to Latin colleg- (variant stem of colligere; see collect ¹) + -tor -tor

Explanation

A collector is a person who accumulates special objects, like stamps or coins. If you're crazy about unicorns, you may also be a collector of unicorn figurines, stickers, and paintings. Collector is from a Latin word meaning "to gather." The 14th-century word was originally used for tax collectors, who gathered money from citizens. By the late 1700s, people who amassed collections of things were also called collectors. It's common for kids to be collectors of trading cards, stuffed animals, rocks, and shells. There are also plenty of adult collectors, who acquire antiques, art, books, and more. If you can think of an interesting object, it's probably got collectors!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

collector collectors

In 2006, I was promoted to work on the Barbie collector line, and I worked on Cher Barbie dolls under Bob’s direction in 2007.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

In order to be eligible, owners must prove that their collector car isn’t used for everyday transport either by holding collector-car insurance or documenting that the car is driven fewer than 1,000 miles per year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

We are keenly aware of Mr. Lucas’s pride and delight in each acquisition, and he lets us see them, one after another, just as a stamp collector might leaf through his album.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Catherine Zeta-Jones describes herself as "a bit of an eclectic collector"

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

Before the voyage, Charles had been a typical natural history collector.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Waiving the smog check requirement will make it easier for collectors to bring their cars to shows and celebrations without running afoul of the law.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

Card-game makers have also put more focus on releasing rare and limited-edition cards, helping retain the interest of collectors and driving card prices higher on the secondary market.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

That’s the motto of Britain’s revenue collectors as local governments around the country prepare to roll out a new levy on tourists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

James Brass, 47, of Victorville allegedly managed a team of signature collectors and also collected signatures himself for ballot petitions used to shape California law, according to a federal indictment returned Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

“Not too many come out here anymore. I imagine collectors make their own rules now.”

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• connoisseur
• hobbyist