huckster

[huhk-ster]

noun

1. a retailer of small articles, especially a peddler of fruits and vegetables; hawker.

2. a person who employs showy methods to effect a sale, win votes, etc..

   the crass methods of political hucksters.

3. a cheaply mercenary person.

4. Informal.

   1. a persuasive and aggressive salesperson.

   2. a person who works in the advertising industry, especially one who prepares aggressive advertising for radio and television.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to deal, as in small articles, or to make petty bargains.

   to huckster fresh corn; to huckster for a living.

2. to sell or promote in an aggressive and flashy manner.

huckster

/ ˈhʌkstə /

noun

1. a person who uses aggressive or questionable methods of selling

2. rare,  a person who sells small articles or fruit in the street

3. a person who writes for radio or television advertisements

verb

1. (tr) to peddle

2. (tr) to sell or advertise aggressively or questionably

3. to haggle (over)

Other Word Forms

• hucksterism noun
• hucksterish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of huckster¹

1150–1200; Middle English huccstere (perhaps cognate with Middle Dutch hokester ), equivalent to hucc- haggle (cognate with dialectal German hucken to huckster) + -stere -ster

Word History and Origins

Origin of huckster¹

C12: perhaps from Middle Dutch hoekster, from hoeken to carry on the back

Example Sentences

The Strip was once a magical place where innocents like Dorothy flocked to get into trouble, often in encounters with sleight-of-hand hucksters like Professor Marvel.

From Los Angeles Times

But they were ill-equipped to deal with an opposition party that was increasingly turning to hucksters and demagogues.

From Salon

The individual histories of these men as a dangerous conspiracy theorist, a quack cure TV huckster, an eccentric contrarian and an ethically-challenged partisan have sent shockwaves through the scientific community.

From Salon

But Jackman sold its corny idealism with a huckster’s sincerity you couldn’t help but buy.

From Los Angeles Times

Crypto hucksters talk about their industry in deliberately confusing terms, so ordinary people tune it out, but it's not complicated.

From Salon