Standard Lemma guide

distributor

noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 S T R IH1 B Y AH0 T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One who or that which distributes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A device that distributes electric current, especially to the spark plugs in an internal combustion engine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dizzy

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A machine for distributing type.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Topics: media, printing, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An appliance, such as a roller, in a printing press, for distributing ink.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Topics: media, printing, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

electrical device that distributes voltage to the spark plugs of a gasoline engine in the order of the firing sequence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: distributer, electrical distributor

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: electrical device

6

noun

Meaning 6

a company that markets merchandise

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his company is a large distributor of software products

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: company

Narrower terms: direct mailer, retail chain

7

noun

Meaning 7

a person with authority to allot or deal out or apportion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: allocator

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: authority

8

noun

Meaning 8

someone who markets merchandise

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: distributer

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: supplier, provider

Narrower terms: jobber, middleman, wholesaler, retailer, retail merchant, ship chandler, wool stapler

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English distribute Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin -ātor Old French -eorbor. Middle English -our ▲ Latin -torlbor. English -or English distributor From distribute + -or.

Across languages

Translations

43 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: قَاسِم (qāsim) — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Bulgarian: разпределител (razpredelitel) — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Catalan: distribuïdor — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Czech: distributor — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Dutch: verspreider — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Finnish: jakaja — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Finnish: jakelija — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Finnish: levittäjä — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Finnish: luokittelija — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Finnish: lajittelija — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • German: Verteiler — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Greek: διανομέας (dianoméas) — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Ancient Greek: διαδότης (diadótēs) — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Indonesian: pembagi — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Indonesian: penyalur — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Indonesian: distributor — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Kazakh: дистрибьютор (distribütor) — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Kyrgyz: дистрибьютор (distribyutor) — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Latin: dīvīsor — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Malay: pengedar — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Norwegian: distributør — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Polish: dystrybutor — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Polish: dystrybutorka — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Russian: дистрибью́тор (distribʹjútor) — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Russian: распредели́тель (raspredelítelʹ) — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Slovak: distribútor — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Spanish: distribuidor — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Swahili: msambazaji — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Swedish: distributör — one who distributes, a thing that distributes
  • Western Apache: bijíí — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Bulgarian: дистрибутор (distributor) — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Chinese Mandarin: 分电器 — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Finnish: virranjakaja — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • French: delco — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • German: Verteiler — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Persian: دلکو (delko) — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Persian: آفتامات (âftâmât) — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Persian: تقسیمگر (taqsimgar) — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Russian: распредели́тель (raspredelítelʹ) — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Swahili: msambazaji — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Swedish: fördelardosa — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Turkish: distribütör — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
  • Vietnamese: bộ phân phối — device that distributes current to the spark plugs
Real reading context

distributor in complete knowledge articles