suitor

noun

suit·​or ˈsü-tər 

1

: one that petitions or entreats

2

: a party to a suit at law

3

: one who courts a woman or seeks to marry her

4

: one who seeks to take over a business

Synonyms of suitor

• boyfriend
• lover
• wooer
• man
• fellow

Examples of suitor in a Sentence

He was her most persistent suitor, and she eventually agreed to marry him.

An unwanted suitor is buying up the company's stock.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Heat is among the teams that James is considering in free agency this offseason, with ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting Tuesday that the Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers appear to be the top three suitors for James. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026

If the Mets do want to move on from Bichette, though, his high salary wouldn’t be the only thing to overcome with a potential suitor. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Potential suitors are aware and viewing some of these players as possible market opportunities. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 7 July 2026

These questions will linger over the unit, which has been the source of M&A speculation for years, with the likes of Banijay known to be a potential suitor. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 6 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sutour, suytour, follower, petitioner, from Anglo-French siuter, suytour, from Latin secutor follower, from sequi to follow — more at sue

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for suitor

• neuter
• pewter
• router
• scooter
• shooter
• tutor
• commuter
• computer
• polluter
• recruiter
• microcomputer
• minicomputer

Kids Definition

suitor

noun

suit·​or ˈsüt-ər 

1

: one that petitions or pleads

2

: a party to a suit at law

3

: a man who courts a woman or seeks to marry her

Legal Definition

suitor

noun

suit·​or ˈsü-tər 

1

: a party to a suit

2

: one that seeks to take over a business

approved the merger before the suitor obtained a 10% stake

—Wall Street Journal