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

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

The Hollywood giants spent much of early 2026 in a heated back-and-forth over who had a stronger offer on the table, with Warner leadership repeatedly backing Netflix as its preferred suitor. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

Her widowed aunt plays chaperone as Susanna attends heady lectures and repulses her many suitors. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

Miss Neal is vibrant and lovely as the young widow, and Hugh Marlowe is vigorous as her ambitious suitor. — Thr Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 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