Coster

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A seller of goods, frequently found in markets or fairs
2. An individual who engages in the retail of various products, often in open environments
3. Someone who offers merchandise for sale, usually at markets or street events

Etymology: Costers were once a familiar sight on London streets: barrow-pushers selling fruit, vegetables and fish from carts and stalls. The word "costermonger" is built from two parts. The first, "costard," was a term for a large cooking apple, and the second, "monger," is an old English word for a dealer or trader, the same element found in "fishmonger" and "ironmonger." Put together, a costermonger was literally an apple-dealer, though the trade soon widened to cover almost any goods a street seller might carry. "Coster" is simply a shortened form of "costermonger," clipped down to the first syllable and used for the same people. Its meaning has stayed close to the original idea of someone selling produce or goods from a pitch, whether at a market or fair.

Synonyms: vendor, merchant, trader, salesperson, peddler