colporteur

[ kol-pawr-ter, -pohr-; French kawl-pawr-tœr ]
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noun,plural col·por·teurs [kol-pawr-terz; French kawl-pawr-tœr]. /ˈkɒlˌpɔr tərz; French kɔl pɔrˈtœr/.
  1. a person who travels to sell or publicize Bibles, religious tracts, etc.

  2. a peddler of books.

Origin of colporteur

1
1790–1800; <French, equivalent to colport(er) (see colportage) + -eur-eur

Words Nearby colporteur

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British Dictionary definitions for colporteur

colporteur

/ (ˈkɒlˌpɔːtə, French kɔlpɔrtœr) /


noun
  1. a hawker of books, esp bibles

Origin of colporteur

1
C18: from French, from colporter, probably from Old French comporter to carry (see comport); influenced through folk etymology by porter à col to carry on one's neck

Derived forms of colporteur

  • colportage, noun

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