distributor

noun

dis·​trib·​u·​tor di-ˈstri-byü-tər 

-byə-

1

: one that distributes

2

: one that markets a commodity

especially : wholesaler

3

: an apparatus for directing the secondary current from the induction coil to the various spark plugs of an engine in their proper firing order

Examples of distributor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite industry-wide budget cuts and a shortage of doc distributors for nonfiction social issue fare, Powers winnowed the list of 23 docs from over 1,000 submissions. —Addie Morfoot, Variety, 6 Aug. 2025

The studio is also the distributor for the Icon library including The Passion of the Christ. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025

The products, listed below, were distributed to both commercial and retail distributors across five states — Texas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Jersey. —Matt Cannon, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025

The affected High Noon Beach Variety packs were shipped to distributors Florida, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin. —Christa Sgobba, SELF, 31 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for distributor

• contributor

Kids Definition

distributor

noun

dis·​trib·​u·​tor dis-ˈtrib-yət-ər 

1

: one that distributes

2

: an agent or agency for marketing goods

3

: a device that sends electric current to the spark plugs of an engine so that they fire in the proper order