ENGLISH
REFERENCE

visitor

n.
US //ˈvɪzɪtɝ// UK //vˈɪzɪtɐ// vis·i·tor
  1. 1 guest or tourist (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    someone who goes to see a person or a place like a museum or a park.

    an individual who visits a person, place, or event for a limited duration.

    Example

    The museum gets thousands of visitors every weekend during the summer.

    Example

    The gallery staff were instructed to provide assistance to any visitor who appeared confused by the new layout of the permanent collection.

  2. 2 away team (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Sport

    a person or sports team playing a game away from their own home ground.

    the visiting team or its supporters in a competitive sporting context.

    Example

    The visitors scored a goal in the final minute of the match.

    Example

    Despite the hostile atmosphere created by the home crowd, the visitors maintained their composure and secured a narrow victory.

    • home team
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  1. 3 official inspector (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Law

    a person with the power to check that a school or hospital is being run correctly.

    an official appointed to inspect or oversee the administration of an institution.

    Example

    The university visitor was called in to settle the dispute between the professors.

    Example

    The board appointed an independent visitor to conduct a thorough review of the hospital's safety protocols following the incident.

  2. 4 alien (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Humorous Informal Science

    a being from another planet that comes to Earth.

    a hypothetical extraterrestrial being visiting Earth.

    Example

    The movie is about a friendly visitor from a distant galaxy.

    Example

    Science fiction writers often use the arrival of a mysterious visitor as a catalyst for exploring human nature and societal fears.

Origin

Partly from Middle English visiter, visitere, equivalent to visit + -er; and partly from Middle English visitour, from Anglo-Norman visitour, from Old French visetëor. By surface analysis, visit + -or.

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