distributor

or dis·trib·ut·er

[ dih-strib-yuh-ter ]

/ dɪˈstrɪb yə tər /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for distributor on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or thing that distributes.

Commerce.

a person, firm, etc., engaged in the general distribution or marketing of some article or class of goods.
a wholesaler who has exclusive rights to market, within a given territory, the goods of a manufacturer or company.

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

Printing.

(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.
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.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of distributor

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

OTHER WORDS FROM distributor

sub·dis·trib·u·tor, nounun·der·dis·trib·u·tor, noun

Words nearby distributor

distributive, distributive bargaining, distributive education, distributive law, distributive property, distributor, distributorship, district, district attorney, district council, district court

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use distributor in a sentence

Those all get baked into the price of a wing, and companies have to decide whether to swallow that cost, or pass it along to wholesalers, distributors, restaurants and grocery stores.
The Super Bowl is coming. And we’re running out of chicken wings.|Jacob Bogage|February 2, 2021|Washington Post
Rather, he says, the priority list should help vaccine distributors figure out who they need to target and what is needed to get those groups vaccinated.
To get vaccines to more people, the priority system needs to loosen up|Kat Eschner|January 21, 2021|Popular-Science
As a forklift operator for Cash-Wa, a regional food distributor in Fargo, North Dakota, she enjoyed the physical challenges and responsibility of her job, and was used to working overnight hours.
The Challenges Posed By COVID-19 Pushed Many Workers to Strike. Will the Labor Movement See Sustained Interest?|Abigail Abrams|January 17, 2021|Time
The Department of Health and Human Services said it is working with Pfizer and a distributor to increase syringe and needle supplies.
Companies scramble to expand coronavirus vaccine supply|Carolyn Y. Johnson|January 14, 2021|Washington Post

Sneddon declined to share more about the brands ahead of their release as the agency has “done a year of research” as well as made inroads with distributors.
‘People won’t question our ability’: Why performance marketing agencies want to create their own DTC brands|Kristina Monllos|January 14, 2021|Digiday
He went on to thank his family, his gallerist, distributor, and paid tribute to artist Ian White.
Has the Turner Prize Gone Soft?|David Levesley|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The company had repossessed some of its screws after one U.S. distributor, Spinal Solutions LLC, stopped paying its bills.
Patients Screwed in Spine Surgery ‘Scam’|The Center for Investigative Reporting|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In March, FreshPoint Central Florida, a huge distributor of fresh produce, struck a deal with Harvest Power.
Will Food Waste Power Your Home?|The Daily Beast|June 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Wineberry, a New York distributor, is also packaging Bag-in-Box wines in partnership with wineries.
Taking Boxed Wine Seriously: It’s Not Just for Hobos and Teenagers Anymore|Jordan Salcito|March 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the spring of 2014, high-tech Japan will become the first off-continent distributor.
Helmet Haute Couture: The Invisible Helmet Revolutionizing Bike Safety|Nina Strochlic|December 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Uncle Charley was distributor; accompanying each gift by an appropriate remark.
Alone|Marion Harland
Do not pull out the carbon brushes in the distributor because you think there is not enough tension on the small brass springs.
Aviation Engines|Victor Wilfred Pag
The inside of the distributor block should be cleaned with a cloth moistened with gasoline and then wiped dry with a clean cloth.
Aviation Engines|Victor Wilfred Pag
The distributor block should be removed occasionally and inspected for an accumulation of carbon dust.
Aviation Engines|Victor Wilfred Pag
This distributor is timed with the crank shaft of the motor, and may be driven either by a gear or by a silent chain.
The Gasoline Motor|Harold Whiting Slauson

British Dictionary definitions for distributor

distributor

distributer

/ (dɪˈstrɪbjʊtə) /

noun

a person or thing that distributes

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

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

distributor

or dis·trib·ut·er

Origin of distributor

OTHER WORDS FROM distributor

Words nearby distributor

Words related to distributor

How to use distributor in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for distributor

distributer