comprador

American  

[kom-pruh-dawr] / ˌkɒm prəˈdɔr /

Or compradore

noun

1. (formerly in China) a local agent or factotum, as of a foreign business house.

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comprador British  

/ ˌkɒmprəˈdɔː /

noun

1. (formerly in China and some other Asian countries) a native agent of a foreign enterprise

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Etymology

Origin of comprador

First recorded in 1605–15; from Portuguese: literally, “buyer” from Latin comparātor, equivalent to comparā(re) “to furnish, provide, prepare” ( see com-, prepare) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

comprador

Their comprador, or Chinese purchaser, who acted also as interpreter, having landed to make arrangements, the boats proceeded higher up the river on an exploring expedition.

From The Three Midshipmen by Victor Prout

Having seen our effects disposed of, we set out for our quarters in the New City, attended by the Bengalese comprador who was to serve as guide and purveyor-general during our stay in the island.

From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 12, No. 32, November, 1873 by Various

The comprador has no fixed salary, but receives a stated per-centage upon all business transactions: his per-centage upon the household expenses is not fixed, but is not on that account less certain. 

From A Woman's Journey Round the World by Ida Pfeiffer

The exporters are missionaries and foreigners who make no effort to buy from the farmers, for the tradesman, or comprador, can get the nuts at a better figure than can the foreigners.

From Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Fourteenth Annual Meeting Washington D.C. September 26, 27 and 28 1923 by Northern Nut Growers Association

At the head of the whole household is the comprador, who is a kind of major-domo. 

From A Woman's Journey Round the World by Ida Pfeiffer