investor
UK: ɪnˈvɛstə | US: ɪnˈvɛstər
n. a person or organization that allocates capital with the expectation of future financial gain
n. someone who commits resources (e.g., money, time) to a venture for potential profit
The word "investor" derives from the Latin investire ("to clothe" or "to surround"), which evolved into the Italian investire ("to invest money"). By the 16th century, "invest" in English acquired the financial sense of "devoting resources for profit." The suffix -or (from Latin -tor) denotes a person performing an action, creating "investor" to describe someone who allocates capital. The logic mirrors clothing resources into ventures to "grow" them.
The investor bought shares in the startup, hoping for long-term growth.
Angel investors often fund early-stage companies.
She became a successful real estate investor by studying market trends.
Ethical investors prioritize environmentally sustainable businesses.
The venture capitalist acted as both an investor and advisor to the firm.