What does obtainer mean?
An obtainer is a person who obtains something, meaning that they acquire, receive, secure, or gain possession of it. The word is especially useful when the action of obtaining something is important but the particular object is not, as in “the obtainer of a licence” or “the obtainer of consent.” It is more formal and less common than alternatives such as “acquirer,” “recipient,” or “possessor,” depending on the context. An obtainer normally actively secures the thing obtained, although the term can also refer to whoever ends up possessing or receiving it. In legal, administrative, and academic writing, it can identify the person responsible for obtaining permission, documentation, funding, or access.
nounA person or thing that obtains something; especially, a person who secures possession, receipt, or access to something.
- A person who obtains or secures something.
"The obtainer of the permit must present it before entering the building."
"The obtainer of the original document is responsible for returning it to the registry."
"Researchers examined the process by which each obtainer of the data accessed the archive."
The plural is formed by adding -s.
"The contract identifies the obtainers of the restricted information."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does obtainer come from?
The word is formed from the English verb “obtain” plus the noun-forming suffix “-er,” which identifies the person who performs the action. “Obtain” comes through Old French from Latin obtinere, a word associated with holding or securing something. The English verb has long been used for gaining or securing possession of something, and “obtainer” is its corresponding agent noun.
Related word forms
How obtainer is actually used
The term is formal and relatively uncommon; in everyday speech, the specific object or person described is often named instead.