late 14c., "gatherer of taxes, etc.," from Anglo-French collectour "collector" (of money or taxes; Old French collector, Modern French collecteur), from Late Latin collector, agent noun from colligere "to gather together" (see collect). Meaning "one who collects objects of interest as a pursuit or amusement" is by 1774. Fem. form collectress is attested from 1825.
Entries linking to collector
collect v.
early 15c., "gather into one place or group" (transitive), from Old French collecter "to collect" (late 14c.), from Latin collectus, past participle of colligere "gather together," from assimilated form of com "together" (see com-) + legere "to gather," from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather."
The intransitive sense "gather together, accumulate" is attested from 1794. Related: Collected; collecting. As an adjective or adverb meaning "paid by the recipient," it is attested from 1893, originally with reference to telegrams.
