collector

noun

col·​lec·​tor kə-ˈlek-tər 

: one that collects: such as

a

: an official who collects funds or moneys

b

: a person who makes a collection

stamp collector

c

: an object or device that collects

the statuette was a dust collector

d

: solar collector

collectorship

kə-ˈlek-tər-ˌship 

noun

Examples of collector in a Sentence

He is an avid stamp collector.

The painting was purchased by a private collector.

The trash collectors came early today.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bank levies are automated, blunt instruments, after all, and when a debt collector serves this type of freeze order on a financial institution, the bank is generally required to act first and verify later. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 15 June 2026

Topeka resident Each card is numbered and divided by the teams, and the album’s index tells collectors which page in the album each team’s cards belong in. —Julianna Mejia, Kansas City Star, 15 June 2026

Those extra dollars are unlikely to deter serious collectors. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 June 2026

That’s very much our intent, while also recognizing that the two parts of the market currently under more focus from collectors are very important to us as well. —Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 15 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English collectour, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin collēctōr-, collēctor, from colleg-, variant stem of colligere "to gather together, assemble, accumulate" + -tōr-, -tor, agent suffix — more at collect entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing collector

• collector's item
• solar collector

Rhymes for collector

• bisector
• connector
• corrector
• defector
• deflector
• detector
• director
• dissector
• effector
• ejector
• elector
• erector

Kids Definition

collector

noun

col·​lec·​tor kə-ˈlek-tər 

1

: a person whose job is to collect money due

tax collector

bill collector

2

: one that makes a collection

stamp collector

3

: an object or device that collects

the ornament was just a dust collector