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

• gallant
• swain
• wooer

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 family didn’t want to see Paramount broken apart, which would have been the strategy of another suitor: Apollo Global Management and Sony Pictures Entertainment. —Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024

But to make up for hurting her, Colin agrees to teach Penelope how to best charm a potential suitor. —Athena Sobhan, Peoplemag, 22 May 2024

Where to watch: The CW, Amazon Prime Sanditon Based on Jane Austen’s final unfinished novel of the same name, Sanditon has all the author’s requisite traits: a plucky heroine, a bevy of handsome suitors, and plenty of Regency-era drama. —Cady Lang, TIME, 16 May 2024

While the Orioles of years past would never be serious suitors for either starter under normal circumstances, incoming owner David Rubenstein could opt to make an immediate splash if he’s approved quickly enough by MLB. —Matt Weyrich, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2024

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

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