jobber

noun job·ber \ ˈjä-bər \

|Updated on: 1 Jul 2018

Definition of jobber

: one that jobs: such as

a (1) : wholesaler; specifically : a wholesaler who operates on a small scale or who sells only to retailers and institutions

(2) : stockjobber a

b : a person who works by the job

See jobber defined for kids

Recent Examples of jobber from the Web

The City had its freewheeling parts—such as the euro markets—but the stock market was carved up by British brokers and jobbers, with Hogwartian names such as Ackroyd & Smithers.

— Bloomberg.com, "China Quietly Rolled Out a Very Big Bang," 19 Apr. 2018
The antipathy to horsemeat is fast vanishing, says Jim Augustine, the East Bay’s one and only mustang meat jobber.

— johnny miller, San Francisco Chronicle, "Steve McQueen in S.F. to film ‘Bullitt’," 21 Mar. 2018
His only friend is Belly Button (Bamboo Chen), a junk-collector and occasional odd-jobber who loves to drop by on his night shifts.

— maggie lee, chicagotribune.com, "'The Great Buddha +' review: Black comedy that's a digital-era homage to 'Rear Window'," 8 Feb. 2018
May 17, 1993: 1-2-3 Kid beats Razor Ramon Back in this era, a jobber never beat a superstar.

— jimmy traina, SI.com, "The 20 Most Legendary "Monday Night Raw" Moments," 18 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jobber.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of jobber

circa 1626

in the meaning defined at sense a(1)

See Words from the same year

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Financial Definition of JOBBER

jobber

noun

What It Is

Jobber is a slang term for an agent in business, particularly trading.

How It Works

In the broadest sense of the word, a jobber is an individual who makes a living from commissions he/she earns as an agent for transactions between two parties. In this respect, a jobber might sell merchandise produced by someone else or hire himself out for various types of short-term work.

In the London Stock Exchange, a jobber is equivalent to a market maker -- a broker who is prepared to buy and sell stocks at highly competitive prices on behalf of market participants.

Why It Matters

Jobbers make the process of trading shares on the London Stock Exchange more efficient. Jobbers buy and sell their own inventory of securities to investors. Because jobbers can offer relatively fast transactions and the most current share prices to traders, they make trades happen faster and therefore make the market more liquid.

Source: Investing Answers