contractor

noun

con·​trac·​tor

sense 1 is usually

ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər 

sense 2 is usually

kən-ˈtrak- 

1

: one that contracts or is party to a contract: such as

a

: one that contracts to perform work or provide supplies

b

: one that contracts to erect buildings

2

: something (such as a muscle) that contracts or shortens

Examples of contractor in a Sentence

They hired a contractor to remodel the kitchen.

Recent Examples on the Web

No one has taken responsibility for directing Medicaid contractor Centene to give $10 million of a $67 million legal settlement to the Hope Florida Foundation and routing the money to nonprofits, which gave nearly all of it to a political committee. —Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025

The test strengthens Diehl’s position as a key defense contractor for Germany’s ongoing modernization programs. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025

The department launched the audit about 18 months ago in April 2024 after noticing SDC's overdue payments to contractors. —Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025

According to a June 27 news release from the Auburn Police Department, authorities were notified that possible remains were found at a construction site in the vicinity of Auburn Community Hospital on June 25 when a contractor was doing excavation work. —David Chiu, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin contractor "party to a contract," from Latin contrac-, variant stem of contrahere "to draw together, reduce in size, bring together, enter into (an agreement, formal relationship) + -tor, agent suffix — more at contract entry 2

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing contractor

• independent contractor

Rhymes for contractor

• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor
• distractor
• extractor
• impactor
• protractor
• reactor
• redactor
• refractor
• retractor

Kids Definition

contractor

noun

con·​trac·​tor ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər  kən-ˈtrak- 

: one that enters into a contract

especially : a person who contracts to perform work or provide supplies at a certain price or within a certain time

building contractor

Medical Definition

contractor

noun

con·​trac·​tor ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər  kən-ˈ 

: something (as a muscle) that contracts or shortens

Legal Definition

contractor

noun

con·​trac·​tor ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər, kən-ˈtrak- 

: one that contracts: as

a

: one that contracts to perform work or provide supplies

b

: one that contracts to erect buildings