salesman

Everyday

A salesman is a man whose job is selling things, in a shop, by phone or by visiting people. tree →

In the lessons

In maths problems a salesman earns money from sales or commission (a share of each sale). In stories he may be pushy or a trickster; in safety lessons, be careful of door-to-door salesmen. Gender-neutral words: salesperson, sales assistant, sales rep. Phrases: «car salesman», «door-to-door salesman», «travelling salesman».

Examples

• The car salesman showed us a red car. tree →
• A salesman knocked on the door selling brushes. tree →
• The salesman earns $50 for every TV he sells. tree →
• My uncle is a salesman for a toy company. tree →
• The salesman sold 12 phones on Monday and 15 on Tuesday. tree →
• Don't let a pushy salesman rush you. tree →

Note

Plural: salesmen (not salesmans). For any gender: salesperson, salespeople. In maths, commission problems: earnings = number sold × money per sale, or a percentage of sales.