trader

noun

trad·​er ˈtrā-dər How to pronounce trader (audio)
1
: a person whose business is buying and selling or barter: such as
a
b
: a person who buys and sells (something, such as stocks or commodities futures) in search of short-term profits
2
: a ship engaged in the coastal or foreign trade

Examples of trader in a Sentence

She is a stock trader. early explorers and fur traders
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Meanwhile, oil prices ended the week in the green, with crude closing above $66 per barrel as traders await the next decision from OPEC+. Benzinga, Freep.com, 2 Aug. 2025 Still, Bresnahan has caught heat for being an active trader in Congress. Emily Brooks, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025 That’s some crackerjack dealing from president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, who has always been an aggressive trader but has also been limited through the years by a stingy ownership group that has capped the Mariners’ payroll. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2025 On that front, traders seemed to side with right-wing figures — Sen. Ted Cruz among them — who rolled their eyes at the outcry from anti-MAGA folks. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for trader

Word History

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of trader was in 1566

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trader. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

trader

noun
trad·​er ˈtrād-ər How to pronounce trader (audio)
1
: a person who trades
2
: a ship engaged in trade

More from Merriam-Webster on trader

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