A distributorA person or company that provides products to shops or buyers. is usually a person or company that supplies or sells products to other businesses or customers. It can also mean a device in a gasoline engine that sends electricalRelated to electricity or the flow of electric power. current to the spark plugs, or, in a more formal sense, a person who allocatesGives out resources or tasks according to a plan or rule. or deals out things.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /dɪˈstrɪbjətər/
Easy pronunciation: dis-TRIB-yuh-ter (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress is on the second syllable: TRIB.
Use the business sense: a person or company that markets and supplies merchandise.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Distributor Meaning
a person or business that sells and supplies products
Part of speech: noun
Definition: someone or a company that markets and supplies merchandise
Example: Her company is a major distributor of electronics.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- distributer — Variant spelling used for the same business sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Distributor
Meaning 2
a person who gives out shares or amounts
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a person with authority to allot or deal out or apportion
Example: The committee named a distributor to allocate the funds.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- allocator — Works for the formal sense of assigning or apportioning.
Meaning 3
an engine part that sends electricity to the spark plugs
Part of speech: noun
Definition: electrical device that distributes voltage to the spark plugs of a gasoline engine in the order of the firing sequence
Example: The mechanic replaced the distributor.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- electrical distributor — Specific technical name for the engine part.
- distributer — Listed as a synonym in the source for this mechanical sense.
Meaning 4
a business that sells products to retailers or customers
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a company that markets merchandise
Example: His company is a large distributor of software products.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Distributor Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- distributer
formal sense: a person who allocates or apportions
- allocator
technical sense: engine part that sends voltage to spark plugs
- electrical distributor
- distributer
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes confuse distributor with distribute, but distributor is usually a noun for a person, business, or mechanical part.
- Do not use distributor for the act of giving something out; that meaning belongs to the verb distribute.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does distributor mean in business?
In business, a distributor is a person or company that supplies and sells products, often to retailers or other businesses.
Is distributor the same as distributer?
Usually yes. Distributer is a variant spelling, but distributor is the more common form.
What is a distributor in a car?
In a gasoline engine, a distributor is the part that sends electrical voltage to the spark plugs in the correct firing order.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.