Bidder

The guy or gal looking to buy something. A bidder makes an offer for something that someone else is trying to sell (that offer is called a bid).

The seller then judges all the bids and picks the one he or she likes best. Usually, the winning bid will be the one with the highest monetary value. However, some sales involve complications that might make a nominally lower bid more attractive.

Maybe the lower bid can close quicker, meaning the seller gets their money sooner. Maybe the lower bid is structured in a way that makes taxes lower, meaning the seller actually gets to keep more of the money. Maybe the lower bid is an all-cash offer, whereas higher bids all need to be financed in risky or complicated ways.

Whatever the case, just like a writer writes and a playa plays...a bidder bids.

Find other enlightening terms in Shmoop Finance Genius Bar(f)