suitor

American  

[soo-ter] / ˈsu tər /

noun

1. a man who courts or woos a woman.

2. Law. a petitioner or plaintiff.

3. a person who sues or petitions for anything.

4. Informal. an individual who seeks to buy a business.

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suitor British  

/ ˈsuːtə, ˈsjuːt- /

noun

1. a man who courts a woman; wooer

2. law a person who brings a suit in a court of law; plaintiff

3. rare a person who makes a request or appeal for anything

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Etymology

Origin of suitor

1250–1300; Middle English s ( e ) utor, suitour < Anglo-French < Latin secūtor, equivalent to secū-, variant stem of sequī to follow + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

The Dodgers are considered a suitor because they need a productive corner outfielder.

From Los Angeles Times

Goldman and Apple engaged with a range of possible suitors, from large credit-card issuers such as American Express, Capital One and Synchrony Financial to fintechs and private-credit shops, people familiar with the matter have said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Revolution had drawn interest from other suitors, some of the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal

A deal with either Warner suitor would need approval from regulators.

From The Wall Street Journal

Rosemary, the schoolteacher in her 40s, pleads with her suitor, Howard, to marry her not out of romance, but desperation.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• admirer
• beau
• boyfriend
• lover
• paramour