suitor

[soo-ter]

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.

suitor

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of suitor¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of suitor¹

C13: from Anglo-Norman suter, from Latin secūtor follower, from sequī to follow

Example Sentences

It went on to dominate Saturday-night TV, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch one person pick a date from three suitors hidden behind a screen.

Read more on BBC

Shares of one of Europe’s worst-performing companies this year — Puma — were soaring on Thursday after reports a Chinese suitor and possibly others might be circling.

Read more on MarketWatch

The consortium is likely to face competition from rival suitors such as large energy companies, brand-name private-equity firms and other financial investors.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The problem now is other suitors who may emerge and Guehi can also wait until summer to decide his future.

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After the last drop of spring water has been drunk, the young woman’s suitor is supposed to return to life.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• admirer 
• beau 
• boyfriend 
• lover 
• paramour