Salespersons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who sell products or services to customers, functioning in either retail or business environments
2. Professionals engaged in promoting and negotiating sales with clients for various goods or services
3. Representatives responsible for achieving sales targets by persuading potential buyers and building customer relationships

Etymology: "Salespersons" is the plural of "salesperson," a compound formed in English from "sales" and "person." The compound is a late creation: "salesperson" appears in the 1800s, when "sales" was already a common noun (from the 1500s, meaning the act of selling) and "person" was freely used as a gender-neutral noun for an individual. The "-s" on "sales" is the old Middle English plural ending, which in turn reflects the earlier, more common idea of goods being sold in lots or transactions. The plural itself is where the word gets interesting. Because the head of the compound is "person," the regular English plural would be "salespersons," with the "-s" on the end. Many speakers and style guides instead use "salespeople," treating "people" as the plural of "person" and making it the default. Both forms are standard, though "salespeople" is far more common in current usage.

Synonyms: salespeople, vendors, representatives