saleswoman

American  

[seylz-woom-uhn] / ˈseɪlzˌwʊm ən /

noun

plural

saleswomen

1. a woman who sells goods, services, etc.

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Usage

What does saleswoman mean? A saleswoman is a woman whose job is to sell products or services.The plural of saleswoman is saleswomen. A less common term for saleswoman is saleslady. The equivalent term for a man is salesman. Both salesman and saleswoman are commonly used, but salesperson and sales rep (or sales representative) are often used in their place.A saleswoman is often said to “work in sales”—in which sales refers to the type of occupation or the division or department within a company.A saleswoman can sell directly to customers or to other businesses or organizations. Sometimes, saleswomen sell things in person, such as at a retail store or dealership. They also commonly sell things over the phone or by communicating with people online. In the past, it was common for some salespeople to travel door-to-door to make sales to people at home, leading to the term door-to-door salesman and, less commonly, door-to-door saleswoman.A saleswoman who has to travel as part of her job can be called a traveling saleswoman.The word saleswoman is sometimes used in a somewhat figurative way to refer to a woman who’s skilled at persuading people, especially in a business or professional setting, as if they are selling them a product. This skill or quality can be called saleswomanship, but the term salesmanship is much more common and is often applied regardless of gender.Example: The saleswoman told me that this was the best deal she could give me.

Gender

See -woman.

Etymology

Origin of saleswoman

First recorded in 1695–1705; sales + woman

Example Sentences

The friend introduced him to a friendly car saleswoman.

From The Wall Street Journal

She spends weekends as a saleswoman in the Coche Market, offering her services at various food stands.

From Los Angeles Times

"Even if I had the money, I don't think I'd want to rebuild in Altadena, because it's just a sad place right now," the former saleswoman said.

From Barron's

The saleswoman said she thought a few small items, like our Herend China and Lalique crystal glassware, might sell if we took them to local antique shops.

From MarketWatch

And Su will need to prove her mettle in a less familiar set of roles: as a saleswoman, dealmaker and lobbyist.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• clerk
• marketer
• salesman
• salesperson
• shopkeeper