ENGLISH
REFERENCE

finder

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈfaɪndɝ// UK //fˈaɪndɐ// find·er Archaic

n. a person who discovers something that was lost or hidden. You use this word for someone who finds an object or even a new piece of information.

n. a person who discovers or locates something, whether by chance or through a deliberate search. Often used in the context of legal or social rules regarding lost property.


SIMPLE

The finder of the lost wallet returned it to the owner.

CONTEXTUAL

The museum offered a small reward to the finder of the ancient coin discovered in the field.

COMPLEX

In many jurisdictions, the finder of lost property has a superior claim to the object against everyone except the rightful owner, provided they take reasonable steps to locate them.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English findere. By surface analysis, find + -er.

Usage

Commonly appears in the idiomatic phrase 'finders keepers'.

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