huckster

American  

[huhk-ster] / ˈhʌk stər /

noun

1. a retailer of small articles, especially a peddler of fruits and vegetables; hawker.

2. a person who employs showy methods to effect a sale, win votes, etc..

   the crass methods of political hucksters.

3. a cheaply mercenary person.

4. Informal.

   1. a persuasive and aggressive salesperson.

   2. a person who works in the advertising industry, especially one who prepares aggressive advertising for radio and television.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to deal, as in small articles, or to make petty bargains.

   to huckster fresh corn; to huckster for a living.

2. to sell or promote in an aggressive and flashy manner.

huckster British  

/ ˈhʌkstə /

noun

1. a person who uses aggressive or questionable methods of selling

2. rare a person who sells small articles or fruit in the street

3. a person who writes for radio or television advertisements

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verb

1. (tr) to peddle

2. (tr) to sell or advertise aggressively or questionably

3. to haggle (over)

Other Word Forms

• hucksterish
  adjective
• hucksterism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of huckster

1150–1200; Middle English huccstere (perhaps cognate with Middle Dutch hokester ), equivalent to hucc- haggle (cognate with dialectal German hucken to huckster) + -stere -ster

Explanation

A huckster is someone who tries to sell you something that's not very well made, or isn't worth the price. If someone tries to sell you a bottle of Love Potion #9, call him a huckster. While a huckster is primarily a seller of cheap goods, like the people who sell imitation luxury handbags and watches on city sidewalks, you can also use the word to talk about extremely pushy salespeople. If you feel so pressured to make an offer on a new car that you leave the dealership feeling frustrated and daunted, you might say, "There's no way I'm buying a car from that huckster."

Example Sentences

“I will not pretend there is nothing we can do to stop this,” the Huckster told a reporter at a campaign stop in Iowa.

From Salon • Aug. 3, 2015

Captain James R. Addams* and Huckster Vincent Morgan Ryan, to whom she was still married when she met Bob in Hollywood and fell "plain mad nutsie in love."

From Time Magazine Archive

But her sweet and slow singing did not please irascible Tobacco Huckster George Washington Hill, who "liked 'em loud and fast."

From Time Magazine Archive

Huckster Kinsey's book is strictly for the birds, and for the bees in his bonnet as well.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Huckster soon afterwards set off for the sea-shore for some more Salt, and loaded the Ass, if possible, yet more heavily than before.

From Aesop's Fables A New Revised Version From Original Sources by Weir, Harrison