suitor 復習
東京スカイツリーは開業してから5年を迎えます。
Guide shares sweet stories from Skytree
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the opening of the 634-meter-high Tokyo Skytree, located in Sumida Ward, Tokyo. The number of visitors to the tower’s observation decks is expected to reach 30 million by the end of this fiscal year.
Since the opening, observation deck guide Koto Sakai, 31, has witnessed various human relationships develop on the tower. On a weekend in mid-May, she snaked her way through the crowds and approached a family on the Tenbo Deck, the tower’s first observation floor.
中略
The observation decks often play host to marriage proposals — Sakai has witnessed four so far.
One of the suitors slipped into a restroom to get changed and reappeared in front of his partner wearing a tuxedo. Another man passed out roses to other visitors, saying, “I want to share my happiness with you all.” Similar episodes have been remembered and talked about by other staff members working at the Skytree.
以下省略
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003710776
suitor /súːṭɚ/ を取り上げます。名詞では「スーツ、衣服」、動詞では「〜に適する」などの意味がありますが、語尾にorが付いて人を表すことばになるとどのような意味を表すのでしょうか。『ライトハウス英和辞典』（第5版 研究社）で調べてみると「（古風）求婚者（男）」とありました。結婚を申し込もうとしている男性に使われるようです。LDOCEには “a man who wants to marry a particular woman” と定義されています。
語源を調べると、Online Etymology Dictionaryには “c. 1300, "a frequenter;" late 14c., "follower, disciple," from Anglo-French seutor, suitor or directly from Late Latin secutor "follower, pursuer,"” や “Meaning "plaintiff in a lawsuit" is from mid-15c. Meaning "one who seeks (a woman) in marriage" is from 1580s.” とあり、もともとは常客のことで、後に門弟や法廷での原告、求婚者などを表すようになったことがわかりました。（aqua）
