hawker
UK[ˈhɔːkə]US[ˈhɑːkər]
n
A person who travels from place to place selling goods.
Morpheme Breakdown
hawk
er
hawk
to sell
er
agent suffix
Etymology
The word 'hawker' originates from the Middle English verb 'hauken', meaning to peddle or carry goods about for sale. This verb is likely derived from the Low German 'hoken' or Middle Dutch 'hoken', which carried a similar sense of peddling or huckstering. The agent suffix '-er', of Old English origin, was attached to form a noun denoting a person who performs that action. Thus, the literal meaning, "one who hawks (sells)," directly describes the itinerant vendor's primary activity.
Analysis
Structure: hawk (to sell) + er (agent suffix)
'hawk' (verb, from Middle English 'hauken', meaning to peddle or carry about for sale). 'er' (agent noun suffix, from Old English '-ere', denoting a person who performs an action).
Examples
The street was filled with the calls of a fruit hawker selling his wares.
In many cities, hawkers operate small stalls or move through traffic selling snacks and drinks.
The old-fashioned image of a hawker with a cart is being replaced by more stationary market vendors.