peddler

[ped-ler]

See more synonyms for peddler on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person who sells from door to door or in the street.
a person who tries to promote some cause, candidate, viewpoint, etc.

Also especially British, ped·lar, ped·ler.

Origin of peddler

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for peddler

vendor, salesperson, huckster

Examples from the Web for peddler

Contemporary Examples of peddler

Mandelbaum began her climb to the top of the crime world as a peddler on the rough-and-tumble, bustling streets of New York City.
Meet 'The Queen of Thieves' Marm Mandelbaum, New York City's First Mob Boss
J. North Conway
September 7, 2014
According to tradition, the typical Yankee peddler was thought to be so shrewd that he could carve and sell counterfeit nutmegs.
Ted Thompson’s Debut Novel Features A 1 Percenter As Its Hero
Stefan Beck
May 6, 2014
Just look at Zynga, the peddler of Facebook games Farmville and Mafia Wars.
How Joining Facebook Is Hurting Instagram
Alex Klein
August 28, 2012

Historical Examples of peddler

But it was the face that startled the peddler—the face of Paul Ritson.
A Son of Hagar
Sir Hall Caine
Pe ye a Yankee peddler, mit chewelry in your pack, to sheat the gals?
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;
Various
"Thank you kindly, ma'am, but I must be far on my road to-night," said the peddler.
Hidden Hand
Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth
So you're the boys that got the car away from the peddler, are ye?
The Boy Scout Treasure Hunters
Charles Henry Lerrigo
What shall we do if he isn't to be seen and the peddler won't let us look inside?
The Boy Scout Treasure Hunters
Charles Henry Lerrigo

British Dictionary definitions for peddler

peddler

noun

a person who sells illegal drugs, esp narcotics
the usual US spelling of pedlar

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

Word Origin and History for peddler

late 14c. (c.1300 as a surname, Will. Le Pedelare), from peoddere, peddere (c.1200, mid-12c. as a surname), of unknown origin. It has the appearance of an agent noun, but no corresponding verb is attested in Middle English. Perhaps a diminutive of ped "panier, basket," also of unknown origin, but this is attested only from late 14c. Pedlar, preferred spelling in U.K., is attested from late 14c.