distributor

distributor — noun

1. An individual or business that purchases goods from producers and resells them t

1.nounB1
Definition

An individual or business that purchases goods from producers and resells them to retailers, other companies, or directly to the public.

Example

The company became the official distributor of Japanese electronics in Southeast Asia.

collocation: official distributor of [product] + [region]

Daichi works for a local food distributor that supplies restaurants across the city.

contributive clause structure: supplies to X across Y

Common collocations
  • official distributor
  • authorized distributor
  • exclusive distributor
  • local distributor
  • main distributor
  • distributor network
  • distributor agreement
  • become a distributor
  • work as a distributor
  • distributor of [product]
  • distributor for [brand/company]
  • appointed distributor
Synonyms
  • supplier

    broader term than distributor — any person or company that provides goods or services, not necessarily as an intermediary

  • wholesaler

    specifically sells large quantities to retailers; a wholesaler is one type of distributor

  • dealer

    often used for specific product categories such as cars, art, or antiques; implies a license or authorization

Antonyms
  • manufacturer

    makes the product rather than passing it on

  • retailer

    sells to the final customer, not to other businesses

Grammar Patterns

distributor + of + [product type]

distributor + for + [company name]

Usage Note

Distributor is most often used for companies that bridge manufacturers and retailers, rather than selling directly to the public. The person or company that sells goods directly to the end user is usually called a retailer.

Common Mistakes

The distributor sold the bike to me at the store.
The distributor sold the bike to the shop, and I bought it from the shop.
A distributor supplies goods to shops or businesses, not directly to individual customers (unless they run a retail store too).

2. An electrical component found in older petrol engines that delivers power to eac

2.nounB2
Definition

An electrical component found in older petrol engines that delivers power to each spark plug one after another, timed so that the fuel in each cylinder burns at the right moment.

Example

The mechanic replaced the distributor cap after finding a crack in the plastic.

collocation: distributor cap + crack in [part]

A dirty distributor rotor can make the engine misfire when you accelerate.

cause-effect: dirty distributor rotor → engine misfire

Common collocations
  • distributor cap
  • distributor rotor
  • distributor arm
  • distributor timing
  • distributor body
  • replace the distributor
  • adjust the distributor
  • check the distributor
  • distributor shaft
  • distributor drive gear
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

the distributor + verb (passes, sends, delivers)

Usage Note

Most modern cars use electronic ignition systems instead of a mechanical distributor, so this sense is mainly encountered when discussing older vehicles or classic car maintenance. In American English, the same part is also called a distributor.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to someone who provides goods to other businesses, but they differ in scope and function. A distributor buys products from a manufacturer and sells them to shops or other companies; it often implies an official or exclusive agreement with the manufacturer. A supplier is the broadest term — any person or company that provides goods or services, whether as a manufacturer, distributor, or importer. A wholesaler specifically sells large quantities at low prices to retailers, not to individual customers. A dealer is typically licensed or authorized to sell a specific type of product, such as cars, art, or firearms. For example: 'The car dealer ordered the spare parts from an authorized distributor, who got them from the supplier overseas.' In daily use, distributor highlights the intermediary role, while supplier focuses on the source, and dealer implies a sales license.

distributor ↗supplier ↗wholesalerdealer ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'distribuere' — 'dis-' (apart) + 'tribuere' (to assign, to allot). The word entered English through Old French 'distribuer' in the 1400s. The commercial sense ('one who supplies goods to shops') appeared in the early 1800s alongside the growth of trade networks. The automotive sense ('ignition part') emerged in the early 1900s as petrol engines became common in cars.