Shopfitter

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A tradesperson who installs counters, shelving, display units and other fixtures inside retail premises
2. Someone whose job is fitting out a store with its interior furnishings, such as shelves, cabinets and checkout areas
3. A craftsman who builds and assembles the interior fittings that make up the inside of a shop

Etymology: A shopfitter is simply someone who fits out shops: installing counters, shelving, lighting and display units. The word is a plain compound of "shop" and "fitter," and both parts keep their everyday senses. "Fitter" comes from the verb "fit," meaning to make something suit or be placed into a space, and in trades it has long named a skilled worker who assembles or installs equipment, as in "pipefitter" or "gasfitter." Put together, the two parts describe the job exactly: a tradesperson who fits out a retail premises so it is ready to trade. The formation follows the same pattern as many British trade names, where a workplace or object is joined to the name of the craftsman who works on it.