# salesman

/ˈseɪɫzmən/ (US) · /sˈeɪlzmən/ (UK) · CEFR A2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/salesman
Updated: 2026-05-03

## Definition

a man whose job is to sell products or services to customers. You might see him in a shop or he might visit people at their homes or offices.

For teachers: a male individual engaged in the sale of goods or services. Often used in a general sense, though 'salesperson' is now more common in professional contexts to ensure gender neutrality.

## Examples

- The salesman showed us the new car models.
- A traveling salesman visited the office today to demonstrate a new type of industrial printer.
- The veteran salesman understood that building a long-term relationship with the client was far more valuable than securing a single high-commission transaction through aggressive tactics.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The salesman she is very helpful." but "The saleswoman is very helpful." — Learners sometimes use 'salesman' as a gender-neutral term, but it specifically refers to a man; use 'saleswoman' for a woman or 'salesperson' for any gender.

## Usage notes

- The plural form is 'salesmen'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.