collector

[ kuh-lek-ter ]

noun

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 ( def 5 ).
7. Energy. solar collector.

collector

/ 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

Derived Forms

• colˈlectorˌship, noun

Other Words From

• col·lector·ship col·lector·ate noun
• precol·lector noun
• subcol·lector noun
• subcol·lector·ship noun
• under·col·lector noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of collector¹

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

Example Sentences

I also had no business really even buying that because it’s so rare and a collector’s piece.

From Los Angeles Times

Tanjapatkul said in his interview with the FBI that he considered himself a “collector, trader, and hoarder of gear,” according to the FBI affidavit.

From Los Angeles Times

"It will be of interest to two different kinds of people: Titanic specialists, of course, but also stamp collectors who like postmarks. This one, dated 'Cork 3.45pm April 11 1912' is exceptionally rare."

From BBC

Rachel is one of numerous people who claim to have faced "intimidation" and "harassment" by debt collectors over Dart Charge fines they claim were issued in error.

From BBC

“I’m not a collector of anything else,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• connoisseur
• hobbyist