Informal. an individual who seeks to buy a business.
Origin
1250-1300;Middle Englishs(e)utor, suitour < Anglo-French < Latinsecūtor, equivalent to secū-, variant stem of sequī to follow + -tor-tor
Examples from the web for suitor
Some of the roll calls of our essayists remind one of the tale of a rejected and dejected suitor.
Neither suitor has elaborated on how it would improve matters.
From a watchful father figure he becomes a smarmy suitor and eventually a wildly jealous and possessive warden.
The frustrated suitor quits the art world to become a world-famous concert singer.
But they can't admit it until another suitor comes along and almost steals her away.
Although this courtship technique is not commonly practiced by humans, it may prove effective for the desperate suitor.
Conversely, if a suitor changed his mind, he forfeited the presents.
British Dictionary definitions for suitor
suitor
/ˈsuːtə; ˈsjuːt-/
noun
1.
a man who courts a woman; wooer
2.
(law) a person who brings a suit in a court of law; plaintiff
3.
(rare) a person who makes a request or appeal for anything
Word Origin
C13: from Anglo-Norman suter, from Latin secūtor follower, from sequī to follow
Word Origin and History for suitor
n.
late 14c., "follower, disciple," from Anglo-French seutor or directly from Late Latin secutor, from past participle stem of sequi "to follow" (see suit (n.)). Meaning "one who seeks (a woman) in marriage" is from 1580s.