salesman

From sales +‎ -man.

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salesman (plural salesmen)

1. A man whose job it is to sell things, either in a shop / store or elsewhere.

   Coordinate term: saleswoman

   • 1922, Sinclair Lewis, “24”, in Babbitt:

     There was an auto salesman in here yesterday that claimed you could always tell a fellow's class by the car he drove, but I says to him, 'Don't be silly,' I says; 'the wisenheimers grab a look at a fellow's nails when they want to tell if he's a tin-horn or a real gent!"'

   • 1954, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Banking and Currency. Subcommittee on Housing and Urban Affairs, FHA Investigation: Hearings, page 2397:

     Would you say it was fair to describe these salesmen that were in your crews as dynamiters, or suede shoe salesmen?

• salesperson
• seller
• vendor