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suitor

noun
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suit·​or | \ ˈsü-tər How to pronounce suitor (audio) \

Definition of suitor

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
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Synonyms for suitor

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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 Castellanos doesn't have any draft pick compensation tied to him, and he's expected to have a long list of suitors that includes the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs. — Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati.com, "Report: Cincinnati Reds emerge as favorite to sign Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama," 26 Dec. 2019 Josh Donaldson is the top free agent third baseman still available and he's expected to command a sizable salary with plenty of other suitors expected to bid on him. — Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY, "Anthony Rendon agrees to a seven-year, $245 million deal with Angels," 12 Dec. 2019 As for the rest of the bullpen, Forst said the A’s continue to talk to right-hander Blake Treinen, who was non-tendered Monday but who is expected to have a number of suitors looking for a potential bargain. — Susan Slusser, SFChronicle.com, "A’s top need going into winter meetings: a left-handed bat," 5 Dec. 2019 Many clubs all over Europe are interested in his services, so here is how likely a switch to some of these suitors might be... — SI.com, "Aaron Hickey: The Contenders to Sign the Hearts Wonderkid & Who He Might Join," 3 Nov. 2019 Commerzbank’s easiest way out might be to sell out to one of the European suitors that have knocked on its door. — Washington Post, "The German Bank That’s Painfully Honest About Profit," 24 Sep. 2019 Magic coins bring an assortment of odd suitors to a disillusioned woman, but a persistent reporter may hold the promise of real romance. — Los Angeles Times, "Movies on TV this week Sept. 15, 2019: ‘Alien,’ ‘Aliens’ and more," 13 Sep. 2019 Ozuna's market is expected to include the St. Louis Cardinals and possibly the Atlanta Braves, but the Reds are viewed as one of his top suitors. — Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati.com, "Report: Cincinnati Reds emerge as favorite to sign Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama," 26 Dec. 2019 If so, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones could be among his suitors. — Mike Jones, USA TODAY, "NFL head coaching candidates: A primer on who's already being discussed," 13 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'suitor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of suitor

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for suitor

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

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Time Traveler for suitor

Time Traveler

The first known use of suitor was in the 15th century

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Statistics for suitor

Last Updated

16 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Suitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suitor. Accessed 20 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for suitor

suitor

noun
How to pronounce suitor (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of suitor

old-fashioned : a man who wants to marry a particular woman
technical : a company that wants to take over another company

See the full definition for suitor in the English Language Learners Dictionary

suitor

noun
suit·​or | \ ˈsü-tər How to pronounce suitor (audio) \

Kids Definition of suitor

: a man who tries to get a woman to marry him

suitor

noun
suit·​or | \ ˈsü-tər How to pronounce suitor (audio) \

Legal Definition of suitor

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on suitor

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for suitor

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with suitor

Spanish Central: Translation of suitor

Nglish: Translation of suitor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of suitor for Arabic Speakers

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