Investor Definition: Meaning, Examples & Usage

Meaning 1：financial backer (investor)

investor 🔊

/ɪnˈvɛstər/

A person who puts money into something like a business or stocks to make more money in the future.

Investor analyzing stock market chart on laptop in home office

financial backer 🔊

➕

/faɪˈnænʃəl ˈbækər/

A person or entity that allocates capital with the expectation of receiving financial returns in the future, typically through business ventures, stocks, or other assets.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Latin 'investire' (to clothe) + '-or' (one who).

💡 Mnemonic

In + vest = put money into a vest (a safe place). An investor does that.

📖 Example

My aunt is an investor who supports local eco-friendly startups to help the environment and earn returns. 🔊 My aunt is an investor who supports local eco-friendly startups to help the environment and earn returns.

🔗 Collocations

angel investor – An individual who provides capital for a startup in exchange for ownership equity or convertible debt.

institutional investor – An organization that invests large sums of money on behalf of its members, such as pension funds or insurance companies.

retail investor – An individual investor who buys and sells securities for their personal account, typically in smaller amounts.

🔄 Synonyms

shareholder (n.) – A person who owns shares in a company, thus part-owner.

stakeholder (n.) – A person with an interest or concern in something, especially a business.

backer (n.) – A person who supports a project, business, or person financially.

🚫 Antonyms

spender (n.) – A person who spends money freely rather than saving or investing.

borrower (n.) – A person who takes money from another with the intention of repayment.

🌱 Derivatives

investment (n.) – The act of putting money into something to earn profit.

invest (v.) – To put money into something with the expectation of profit.

reinvest (v.) – To invest profits or capital again.

📖 Cultural Story

The term rose in the 17th century with the Dutch East India Company, enabling ordinary people to buy shares and become investors, marking the birth of modern stock markets.