watcher

B1 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈwɑːtʃər/ UK /ˈwɒtʃə/ See IPA manual

Freq #19746

Meanings

1

noun
a person who watches or closely observes someone or something

A patient bird watcher waited quietly beside the lake.
2

noun
a person assigned to keep guard or remain alert for danger

The night watcher reported a light moving beyond the fence.
3

noun
a person who keeps a vigil beside someone who is ill or has died

A watcher remained beside the patient until dawn.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a person who watches or... observer spectator

2 noun · a person assigned to keep... guard lookout watchman

3 noun · a person who keeps a vigil... vigil keeper

Opposites

participant

Word family

Forms watchers

Derived forms binge-watcherclock-watcherfirewatcherhate-watcherhorse-watcherstarwatcherweight-watcher

Related forms watch watchful

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

bird watcher
a person who observes and identifies birds in their natural surroundings

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English wacchere and wachere, built from watch + the agent suffix -er. Its oldest senses concern wakeful guarding and vigils; the broader meaning 'one who observes' follows directly from the verb watch.

Topics

People & Society

External links

# watcher

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈwɑːtʃər/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈwɒtʃə/
**Frequency rank:** 19746

## Meanings
1. a person who watches or closely observes someone or something
2. a person assigned to keep guard or remain alert for danger
3. a person who keeps a vigil beside someone who is ill or has died

## Examples
- A patient bird watcher waited quietly beside the lake.
- The night watcher reported a light moving beyond the fence.
- A watcher remained beside the patient until dawn.

## Synonyms
- observer
- spectator
- guard
- lookout
- watchman

## Antonyms
- participant

## Derived Forms
- binge-watcher
- clock-watcher
- firewatcher
- hate-watcher
- horse-watcher
- starwatcher
- weight-watcher

## Related Forms
- watch
- watchful

## Etymology
From Middle English wacchere and wachere, built from watch + the agent suffix -er. Its oldest senses concern wakeful guarding and vigils; the broader meaning 'one who observes' follows directly from the verb watch.

## Topics
- People & Society

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