pitchman

[pich-muh n]

noun, plural pitch·men.

an itinerant vendor of small wares that are usually carried in a case with collapsible legs, allowing it to be set up or removed quickly.
any high-pressure salesperson, as one at a concession at a fair or carnival.
a person who delivers a message on radio or television, as for a product, cause, etc.

Origin of pitchman

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30; pitch¹ + -man

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for pitchman

Contemporary Examples of pitchman

Bibi Netanyahu talked to the World Economic Forum this afternoon like a pitchman on a road show.
Netanyahu: Israel’s What’s Right With the Middle East
Christopher Dickey
January 23, 2014
You do, however, get points for finding a pitchman whose name perfectly matches your product.
12 Most Annoying Commercials of 2010
Shannon Donnelly
December 25, 2010

Historical Examples of pitchman

Then only Pitchman killed halibut; Raven could not kill any.
Myths and Legends of British North America
Katharine Berry Judson
Boswellister slipped away while the pitchman started to collect a new crowd.
The Glory of Ippling
Helen M. Urban
The pitchman smiled with flawless teeth and the women smiled back at him.
The Glory of Ippling
Helen M. Urban
Pitchman wanted to go home before the sun rose because he was afraid of being melted.
Myths and Legends of British North America
Katharine Berry Judson
Pitchman began to say “A-a-a-a-a,” rather weakly, because he was getting warm.
Myths and Legends of British North America
Katharine Berry Judson

British Dictionary definitions for pitchman

pitchman

noun plural -men US and Canadian

an itinerant pedlar of small merchandise who operates from a stand at a fair, etc
any high-pressure salesman or advertiser

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 pitchman

1926, American English, from pitch (n.1) in the sales sense + man (n.).