# collector

/kəˈɫɛktɝ/ (US) · /kəlˈɛktɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/collector
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. hobbyist

noun · CEFR B1

a person who gathers and keeps a set of similar things, like stamps, art, or coins, because they are interested in them.

For teachers: an individual who acquires and maintains a curated collection of objects for personal interest, investment, or study.

- He is an avid stamp collector and has albums from all over the world.
- The private collector spent decades acquiring rare manuscripts, eventually donating the entire archive to the national library for preservation.

### 2. debt or tax official

noun · CEFR B2

a person whose job is to get money that people owe, such as taxes or bills.

For teachers: an official or employee responsible for the recovery of payments, debts, or taxes.

- The tax collector visited the shop to check their financial records.
- The agency employed a debt collector to recover the outstanding balances from clients who had defaulted on their monthly payments.

### 3. electronics component

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

one of the three parts of a specific type of transistor used in electronics.

For teachers: the region in a bipolar junction transistor that receives charge carriers from the base.

- The circuit failed because the wire to the collector was loose.
- In a common-emitter configuration, the output signal is typically taken from the collector terminal to achieve maximum voltage gain.

### 4. infrastructure/sewer

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a large pipe that gathers waste or water from many smaller pipes.

For teachers: a primary sewer or conduit designed to receive flow from multiple tributary branches.

- The city is building a new collector to handle the extra rainwater.
- Engineers identified a blockage in the main collector pipe, which had caused significant backup throughout the residential drainage network.

## Examples

- My brother is an avid stamp collector.
- The rare book collector spent years searching for a first edition of the novel to complete his set.
- While some acquire art for purely aesthetic reasons, the serious collector often views each purchase as a strategic addition to a curated portfolio.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.