Wagerer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who commits financial resources to uncertain outcomes in hopes of profit
2. An individual who places bets involving money or valuables on uncertain events with the expectation of winning more
3. Someone who risks money by making predictions on uncertain events aiming to gain more

Etymology: A wagerer is simply someone who wagers, and the word is a plain formation: "wager" with the agent suffix "-er" attached. The suffix itself has a long pedigree. It descends from Latin "-arius," which denoted a person connected with a trade or role, and it reached English through Old French "-ier" and Middle English "-ere" before settling into the "-er" we use today. The base word, "wager," has an older and more interesting path. It came into Middle English from Old Northern French "wage," meaning a pledge or a bet, and it was closely related to the familiar "wage" in the sense of payment for work. Both senses grew from the idea of a security given to guarantee a promise, so the person who risks money on an outcome shares a root with the one who is paid for labour.

Synonyms: bettor, gambler, speculator