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 of suitor

• boyfriend
• lover
• wooer
• man
• fellow

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

Roan also adds an new verse to the song, slightly changing the lyrics to reference a mediocre female suitor alongside Rodrigo’s original lines. — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026

Thankfully, Brandon is one of Austen’s most introspective suitors, and Nordrum is not unlike the character in real life — thoughtful, gentle and a little self-effacing. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Nevertheless, their male relatives and their suitors have travelled far. — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026

In the Odyssey, Penelope interprets a sneeze from her son, Telemachus, as a sign that her wish for Odysseus to return and punish her suitors would come true. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026

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

Rhymes for suitor

• neuter
• pewter
• router
• scooter
• shooter
• tutor
• commuter
• computer
• polluter
• recruiter
• microcomputer
• minicomputer

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