sutler

[suht-ler]

noun

1. (formerly) a person who followed an army or maintained a store on an army post to sell provisions to the soldiers.

sutler

/ ˈsʌtlə /

noun

1. (formerly) a merchant who accompanied an army in order to sell provisions to the soldiers

Other Word Forms

• sutlership noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sutler¹

1580–90; < early Dutch soeteler (now zoetelaar ), equivalent to soetel ( en ) to do dirty work, work poorly (akin to soot ) + -er -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of sutler¹

C16: from obsolete Dutch soeteler, from Middle Low German suteler, from Middle High German sudelen to do dirty work; related to _soot , _seethe

Example Sentences

Weigel’s might have been purchased from one of the traveling vendors, or “sutlers,” who followed the armies.

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League topgallant jury mast sutler barque reef grog.

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“Well, the rebels says we can’t carry firelocks with their army. Heard this from a sutler. You hear this?”

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The merchants, called “sutlers,” set up shop at military encampments and sold supplies to soldiers.

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In a maze of colour and guy-ropes, of tent-pegs and tall spears, of chessplayers and sutlers, of tapestried interiors and of gold plate, Arthur of England had sat down to starve his friend.

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