peddler

American  

[ped-ler] / ˈpɛd lər /

especially British, pedlar,

noun

1. a person who sells from door to door or in the street.

2. a person who tries to promote some cause, candidate, viewpoint, etc.

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peddler British  

/ ˈpɛdlə /

noun

1. a person who sells illegal drugs, esp narcotics

2. the usual US spelling of pedlar

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Etymology

Origin of peddler

1350–1400; Middle English pedlere, unexplained variant of peder, derivative of ped ( de ) basket

Example Sentences

Iris is visibly insecure about Isaac’s conversations with other women, including the strawberry peddler who coos that he has “soft hands,” and his mother, who dials him up to crack inside jokes.

From Los Angeles Times

He grew up believing his father was a poor street peddler.

From Los Angeles Times

“Apple Cider Vinegar” hammers across – subconsciously, granted — the notion of shared culpability between the medical profession and snake oil wellness peddlers.

From Salon

I would have thought that Samir, a master peddler, would have a distaste for someone so clumsy in the art.

From Literature

To put it another way, disinformation peddlers need only make a claim that sounds plausible or might even have a small kernel of truth to influence the unwary.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• vendor