Definition

Noun: A person who sells fruit, vegetables, fish, or other goods from a barrow (a wheeled cart) in the street; a street vendor or hawker, particularly one associated with traditional markets in Britain, such as those in London.

Usage

The word "costermonger" is a somewhat dated or historical term, primarily used in British English. It specifically refers to a type of street trader who sells perishable goods from a portable stall. It often carries connotations of a traditional, working-class trade.

Examples

• In 19th-century London, the costermonger was a common sight, calling out prices for apples and oranges.
• The market's atmosphere was defined by the shouts of the costermongers selling fresh produce.
• He worked as a costermonger on the same street corner for over thirty years.

Advanced Usage

• "Costermonger's barrow": The specific cart used by a costermonger to display and transport goods.
  • The old photograph showed a costermonger's barrow piled high with cabbages.
• The term can be used attributively (like an adjective) to describe things related to this trade.
  • She studied the costermonger culture of Victorian England.

Variants and Related Words

• Costardmonger: An older, now obsolete, form of the word. "Costard" was a type of large apple, and "monger" means seller or trader.
• Hawker: A more general modern synonym for someone who sells goods informally in public places.
• Street vendor: A common contemporary term for a person selling items on the street.
• Peddler / Pedlar: A person who sells small goods, often traveling from place to place.

Synonyms

• Hawker
• Street vendor
• Street trader
• Peddler (especially in a historical context)

Antonyms

• Shopkeeper
• Retailer (in a fixed location)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To cry one's wares like a costermonger": To advertise or announce what one is selling in a loud, persistent, and traditional manner.
  • The auctioneer cried his wares like a costermonger, trying to attract bids for the old furniture.

Noun

1. a hawker of fruit and vegetables from a barrow