distributor

American  

[dih-strib-yuh-ter] / dɪˈstrɪb yə tər /

Or distributer

noun

1. a person or thing that distributes.

2. Commerce.

   1. a person, firm, etc., engaged in the general distribution or marketing of some article or class of goods.

   2. a wholesaler who has exclusive rights to market, within a given territory, the goods of a manufacturer or company.

3. Automotive, Machinery. a device in a multicylinder engine that distributes the igniting voltage to the spark plugs in a definite sequence.

4. Printing.

   1. (in a press) one of the rollers for spreading ink on the table, rolling it to a proper consistency, and transferring it to rollers that ink the form or plate.

   2. Also called distributor bar.  (in a Linotype) a bar with keylike cuts along its length, for sorting matrices into their proper magazines after type has been cast.

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distributor British  

/ dɪˈstrɪbjʊtə /

noun

1. a person or thing that distributes

2. a wholesaler or middleman engaged in the distribution of a category of goods, esp to retailers in a specific area

3. the device in a petrol engine that distributes the high-tension voltage to the sparking plugs in the sequence of the firing order

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Other Word Forms

• subdistributor
  noun
• underdistributor
  noun

Etymology

Origin of distributor

From the Late Latin word distribūtor, dating back to 1520–30. See distribute, -tor

Explanation

It's great that you've got something amazing to sell, but without a distributor you're not going to be able to get it to the people who want to buy it. To distribute it, you need a distributor. A dealer at a card table is as much a distributor as is the Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Both of them share the job of getting their product into the hands of the folks who want it. Whether you're handing out a dozen flyers on the street or shipping a million books to shoppers nationwide, you're a distributor. In the world of electrical engineering, a distributor is a device that sends an electrical current from one contact to another. It distributes the electricity, just like that dealer dealing cards.

Example Sentences

Distributor challenges in Latin America and a cancelation of orders in the Middle East and Eastern Europe weighed on results, CEO Ivan Tornos said on a conference call.

From Barron's • Nov. 5, 2025

Distributor Angel Studios includes a heartfelt message at the end of the film from Caviezel.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2023

Gwent Police said it happened at about 08:20 GMT on Thursday morning on the Lansbury Park Distributor Road in Caerphilly.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2023

“The area is completely devastated,” said Tony Odak, chief operating officer of Stone Oil Distributor, a top supplier of fuel to the offshore industry.

From Reuters • Sep. 1, 2021

Frequently a Dealer or Distributor will have several sets of new batteries in stock for five or six months.

From The Automobile Storage Battery Its Care And Repair by Witte, Otto A.

Related Words

• dealer
• trader