broker

American  

[broh-ker] / ˈbroʊ kər /

noun

1. an agent who buys or sells for a principal on a commission basis without having title to the property.

2. a person who functions as an intermediary between two or more parties in negotiating agreements, bargains, or the like.

3. stockbroker.

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verb (used with object)

brokers, present (3rd person singular) brokered, past participle, past brokering present participle

1. to act as a broker for.

   to broker the sale of a house.

verb (used without object)

brokers, present (3rd person singular) brokered, past participle, past brokering present participle

1. to act as a broker.

broker British  

/ ˈbrəʊkə /

noun

1. an agent who, acting on behalf of a principal, buys or sells goods, securities, etc, in return for a commission

   insurance broker

2. (formerly) short for stockbroker

3. a dealer in second-hand goods

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verb

1. to act as a broker (in)

broker Cultural  

1. A financial agent or intermediary; a middleman.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subbroker
  noun
• brokership
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have brokered
  perfect
• has brokered
  perfect 3rd person singular
• am brokering
  progressive 1st person singular
• is brokering
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are brokering
  progressive
• have been brokering
  perfect progressive
• has been brokering
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• brokers
  singular 3rd person
• brokering
  participle

Past

• had brokered
  perfect
• had been brokering
  perfect progressive
• was brokering
  progressive singular
• were brokering
  progressive plural
• brokered
  participle
• brokered
  simple

Future

• will broker
  simple
• will have brokered
  perfect
• will be brokering
  progressive
• will have been brokering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of broker

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English broco(u)r, from Anglo-French abrocour, broco(u)r “middleman, wine merchant”; compare Old Provençal abrocador, perhaps based on Spanish alboroque “gift or drink concluding a transaction” (from Arabic al-burūk “the gift, gratuity”), with -ador, from Latin -ātor -ator; alternatively, from Old French brocheor, brokeor “wine merchant,” derivative of broche ( see broach ( def. ))

Explanation

A broker is someone who buys or sells for someone else for a commission. You may go to a real estate company to get a broker to help you buy a house. In Middle English broker meant "peddler or retailer." Nowadays a broker still sells things — but she's acting as an agent making deals for someone else and collecting a commission for all that work. Used as a verb, broker means to arrange a deal or negotiate. Working for an advisory firm, a broker may convince you to invest in a company — so the broker would broker a business deal.

Example Sentences

Wall had been working as an insurance broker and looking for a change in career when she decided to have some modelling photographs taken.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

In subsequent decades, Duncan became a power broker among Democrats in Las Vegas, getting out the vote for local leaders and congresspeople.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Your online broker tracks the overall value of your portfolio second by second while the stock, bond and commodity markets are open.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

Australia’s Commsec is the country’s lead retail broker on the offering, while Marex Financial is helping coordinate things in the United Kingdom.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

Once a standard is established around all these real estate processes, the broker can focus a lot more on you and your needs, not on chasing documents.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

Related Words

• agent
• dealer
• entrepreneur
• financier
• intermediary
• mediator
• merchant
• stockbroker