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.
The acronym — which stands for Trump Always Chickens Out — was coined by a Financial Times columnist and has since been adopted by traders attempting to navigate the dozens of changes to tariff policy Trump has announced over the early months of his presidency. Bloomberg, Oc Register, 28 May 2025 Professional traders and algorithms move faster than retail investors, digesting and acting on information in milliseconds. Adam Sarhan, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 The gap between winners and losers has raised concerns about wealth concentration and retail trader exploitation — dynamics that critics say mirror the very financial system that crypto is trying to disrupt. Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 3 June 2025 In an increasingly familiar pattern, Chinese traders, banned from commercial logging in domestic natural forests, exploit governments with the weakest legislation, most limited enforcement capabilities, and highest susceptibility to corruption. Justyna Gudzowska, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 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 10 Jun. 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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