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

Adam Lindemann, a collector, dealer, and Artnet News contributor, was among those named in the database. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 29 July 2026

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors cannot harass or threaten you. — Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 29 July 2026

As economic botany expanded throughout the New World, European collectors sought plants with potential commercial, medicinal, and agricultural value. — Kari Traylor, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2026

The exhibition highlights artworks and historical artifacts donated to the museum, celebrating the generosity of regional artists, collectors and keepers of history. — Debby Rice, Mercury News, 28 July 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