Concessionaires

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals or businesses that are granted rights to operate a service or sell products within a specific venue or location
2. Those who enter into contractual agreements to provide food, goods, or services at places like stadiums, fairs, or amusement parks
3. Entrepreneurs selling items or delivering services under a lease or license agreement, usually in high-traffic consumer areas

Etymology: The word traces back to the Latin verb "concedere," meaning "to yield, grant, or allow," which gave Latin "concessio," a grant or yielding. The sense of a formal grant of rights passed into French as "concession," and from there the word "concessionnaire," a holder of such a grant, was borrowed into English as "concessionaire." The French suffix "-aire" comes from Latin "-arius," which marked a person connected with or holding something, so the word literally describes someone who holds a grant. The plural "concessionaires" is simply the regular plural of that noun, formed by adding "-s" to "concessionaire." Its root is the same idea of an official permission granted to operate in a particular place, which explains why the word now describes the vendors and service providers who run stalls, kiosks, or franchises in busy venues.

Synonyms: vendors, suppliers