collector

American  

[kuh-lek-ter] / kəˈlɛk tər /

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.

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

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

Etymology

Origin of collector

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

Example Sentences

An influx of artists, collectors and art fans will surely have an impact on an area that is already wary of gentrification and the rising cost of living that accompanies it.

From Los Angeles Times

According to Defra's Simpler Recycling guidance, from 31 March, waste collectors must collect the following separately:

From BBC

He became a reader, then a writer, and above all a collector and seller of books.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the debate over the dangers of exporting ants to hobby collectors in different parts of the world is yet to be settled.

From BBC

He believes people often only realise the value of cards after cataloguing them, adding: "My friend who is a big Pokemon collector, his account came out at about £100,000."

From BBC

Related Words

• connoisseur
• hobbyist