A suitor is someone who wants to marry another person and is actively trying to win their affection and approval. In older times, when a young man wanted to marry a young woman, he would become her suitor by visiting her family's home, bringing flowers, and demonstrating that he would be a good husband. The woman's parents would often evaluate whether the suitor had good character, steady work, and serious intentions.

You'll encounter this word most often in older books and historical stories. In Little Women, Meg March has several suitors interested in marrying her. In fairy tales, a princess might have many suitors competing for her hand in marriage, sometimes traveling from distant kingdoms and completing difficult challenges to prove themselves worthy.

While people don't typically call themselves suitors anymore (they're more likely to say “boyfriend” or “someone I'm dating”), you'll still see the word used in historical contexts or when describing traditional courtship customs. A suitor wasn't just any admirer: they had serious, marriage-minded intentions and were willing to demonstrate their commitment over time.