noun

collector

kuh-LEK-ter/kəˈlektər/

A person or device that gathers specified items.

The collector carefully places a toy car into the display case.

A hobby collector carefully places a vintage toy car into the last open compartment of a display case containing an orderly collection of different miniature cars.

Etymology

colLatintogether

+lectLatinto gather

+orLatinperson who acts

A collector is literally someone who gathers things together. Earlier applied to gatherers of taxes or money, the word later described people who assemble objects of interest as a pursuit.

In context

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art59:37

arranged to purchase four works from a Chicago collector who needed to quietly liquidate a portion of his holdings.

David Park: 7x7 | Seven Special Guests, Seven Minutes Each

More examples

Rare stamps attract collectors from around the world.
The debt collector calls about an overdue bill.
A dust collector captures sawdust near the table saw.

Forms

collector · collectors

collect verb — To gather things together or receive payments.

collection noun — A group of things gathered together.

Similar words

gatherer: Emphasizes bringing things together rather than maintaining a chosen collection.