collectionneur
/kɔ.lɛk.sjɔ.nœʁ/masculine
The English word 'collector' is collectionneur in French.
A collectionneur is a person or thing that collects.
Meaning: person or thing that collects (noun)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between collectionneur and collecteur. Use collectionneur for a hobbyist, whereas collecteur is used for someone who collects things such as taxes, debts or waste.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of collectionneur is collectionneuse. To refer to a group of male collectors or a mixed-gender group, use the plural collectionneurs. If the group consists exclusively of female collectors, use collectionneuses.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables and is pronounced /kɔ.lɛk.sjɔ.nœʁ/.
Did you know?
- French collectors of stamps are often called philatélistes rather than collectionneurs de timbres. The Greek-rooted term is far more prestigious in French social circles.
- The term collectionneur is very common in the high-end art market, whereas for more mundane items, the term amateur is sometimes used to describe someone with a passion for collecting.
- The feminine collectionneuse is common, but in very formal or historical art contexts, you may still see the masculine collectionneur used as a gender-neutral professional title.
Examples in context
- Il est très improbable qu'un collectionneur d'art achète jamais quoi que ce soit de cette origine.It's very unlikely that a serious art collector would ever buy anything from that source.This sentence is useful for illustrating the use of collectionneur in the context of art.Tatoeba #957419 by sacredceltic, translation #954113 by CK
- Je suis passionné de numismatique depuis de nombreuses années, je suis donc un collectionneur de pièces de monnaie rares et anciennes.I have been passionate about numismatics for many years, so I am a collector of rare and antique coins.
- Mon frère est un collectionneur passionné de voitures miniatures, il en possède des centaines dans sa collection.My brother is a passionate collector of miniature cars, he owns hundreds in his collection.
- Ce collectionneur possède des pièces très rares.This collector owns very rare pieces.
- Le vieux collectionneur range ses livres avec soin.The old collector organizes his books carefully.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are at a flea market.
- ChloéRegarde cette montre, elle est magnifique !Look at this watch, it is magnificent!
- GabrielC'est une pièce parfaite pour un collectionneur.It is a perfect piece for a collector.
- ChloéTu penses que le vendeur est un expert ?Do you think the seller is an expert?
- GabrielOui, il semble être un grand passionné.Yes, he seems to be a great enthusiast.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “collector” translations and entries collectionneur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
