dealer
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a person or company that buys and sells specific products, like cars, antiques, or art.
a person or firm engaged in the commercial purchase and sale of specific commodities or goods.
Simple“We visited a local car dealer to see if they had any used SUVs in stock.”
In context“The antique dealer spent years cultivating a network of private collectors to ensure a steady supply of rare eighteenth-century furniture.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
the person who gives out the playing cards to the players in a game.
the individual responsible for distributing playing cards to participants in a game of chance or skill.
Simple“The dealer shuffled the deck twice before starting the next round of poker.”
In context“In professional casinos, the dealer must follow strict protocols to ensure the integrity of the game and the security of the chips.”
SynonymscroupierAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
someone who sells illegal drugs.
an individual involved in the illicit sale and distribution of controlled substances.
Simple“The police arrested a suspected drug dealer in the park last night.”
In context“Undercover officers spent months monitoring the street corner to identify the primary dealer responsible for the recent surge in local crime.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
a person or company that trades stocks or bonds for themselves.
a financial intermediary that trades securities for its own account rather than acting purely as an agent for others.
Simple“The bank acts as a primary dealer for government bonds.”
In context“Unlike a broker who merely facilitates trades, a dealer maintains an inventory of securities and profits from the spread between the bid and ask prices.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'broker-dealer' in regulatory contexts.
“Even the drug dealers used to be polite and decent.”
“Various arms dealers, guns for hire and, perhaps more unexpectedly, the CIA, provide a bit of grit in the oyster.”
From Middle English delare, from Old English dǣlere, from Proto-West Germanic [Term?]. By surface analysis, deal + -er. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Deeler, West Frisian dieler, Dutch deler, German Teiler, Swedish delare.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.