distributor
gb/dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ/ us/dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
business
B2
role
1
company supplying goods to sellers
a company that sells products to stores or other companies
Usage pattern:
a distributor of [products]; the distributor for [brand] in [place]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse distributor (middle supplier) with retailer (sells to the public) or manufacturer (makes the product).
Synonyms
wholesaler (Emphasizes selling in bulk to businesses.)
|
supplier (More general; does not necessarily imply a sales channel role.)
|
dealer (Often used for specific product types (e.g., cars, equipment).)
Antonyms
retailer (Sells directly to end customers rather than to other businesses.)
Collocations
authorized distributor
|exclusive distributor
|local distributor
|regional distributor
|national distributor
|sole distributor
|distribution network
|distributor margins
|appoint a distributor
|work with a distributor
Themes
business
|sales
|trade
|logistics
Examples
- They found a new distributor to handle sales in Southeast Asia.
- Our distributor keeps the product in stock and delivers it to local shops.
- The brand ended its contract with the distributor after repeated late shipments.
Learner examples
- The distributor sells the product to stores.
- We need a distributor in Japan.
Noun
B2
role
2
person who hands things out
someone who gives out things to many people
Usage pattern:
a distributor of [leaflets/materials]; a distributor to [people/areas]
Common mistake:
Do not use distributor for a person who only sells to customers one by one; distributor suggests wide delivery or organized distribution.
Synonyms
provider (Focuses on supplying, not necessarily wide delivery.)
|
deliverer (Focuses on the act of delivery rather than the distribution system.)
Antonyms
collector (Takes things in rather than giving them out.)
Collocations
leaflet distributor
|newspaper distributor
|food distributor
|aid distributor
|water distributor
|vaccine distributor
|distributor trucks
|distribution point
|distributor staff
|licensed distributor
Themes
daily_life
|work
|media
|public_services
Examples
- Volunteers acted as distributors of food and blankets after the storm.
- The company hired distributors to hand out flyers near the station.
- The charity is the main distributor of clean water in the area.
Learner examples
- She is a distributor of free newspapers.
Noun
business
C1
role
3
company releasing films to venues
a company that brings a film to cinemas or platforms
Usage pattern:
the distributor of [a film/show]; a distributor in [territory]
Synonyms
distribution company (Plain descriptive term; less industry shorthand.)
Antonyms
producer (Creates or finances the content rather than releasing it to audiences.)
Collocations
film distributor
|international distributor
|distribution rights
|theatrical distributor
|streaming distributor
|secure a distributor
|distribution deal
|domestic distributor
|release dates
|sales agent
Themes
business
|media
|film_tv
Examples
- The distributor scheduled the film for a nationwide release in July.
- They sold the European rights to a different distributor.
- The director is still looking for a distributor for the documentary.
Learner examples
- The film has a new distributor.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
4
car part sending sparks to plugs
a car part that sends electricity to spark plugs
Usage pattern:
the distributor on/in [an engine]; replace the distributor
Common mistake:
In modern cars this part may not exist; many newer engines use electronic ignition without a distributor.
Synonyms
ignition distributor (More specific technical name; same device.)
Antonyms
electronic ignition (Modern system that replaces the mechanical distributor in many vehicles.)
Collocations
distributor cap
|distributor rotor
|distributor shaft
|ignition timing
|replace the distributor
|faulty distributor
|distributor housing
|spark plug wires
|set the timing
|engine misfire
Themes
transport
|machines
|automotive
|technology
Examples
- The mechanic said the distributor was worn and causing the engine to misfire.
- He replaced the distributor cap and the car started immediately.
- On this model, the distributor sits near the back of the engine.
Learner examples
- The distributor is part of the engine.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
5
device that spreads something evenly
a machine part that sends something to many places
Usage pattern:
a distributor for [material/flow]; a distributor with [outlets/nozzles]
Synonyms
manifold (Often a pipe system that splits flow; more specific in engineering.)
|
feeder (Emphasizes supplying material into a process.)
Antonyms
collector (Gathers flow from multiple points instead of splitting it.)
Collocations
water distributor
|air distributor
|power distributor
|fuel distributor
|fertilizer distributor
|distributor valve
|even distribution
|multiple outlets
|feed distributor
|manifold distributor
Themes
technology
|industry
|engineering
Examples
- The irrigation distributor sends water to several rows at once.
- Engineers adjusted the air distributor to improve airflow across the room.
- A blockage in the distributor caused uneven delivery to the outlets.
Learner examples
- The distributor sends water to different pipes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
distributor
IPA
GB/dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ/
US/dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ/
Syllables & stress
dis - trib - ut - or (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (trib)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: distributor
- Plural: distributors
Word family
Forms
distributors
noun
Core family
distribute
verb B1
distribution
noun B1
Related words
redistribute
verb B2
redistribution
noun B2
Advanced or less common
distributive
adjective
distributorship
noun
Expressions
authorized distributor
1/ˈɔθɚˌaɪzd dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ/
fixed phrase
business
official approved seller and supplier
a distributor approved by the brand
Examples
- Buy only from an authorized distributor to ensure the warranty is valid.
- The website lists every authorized distributor in your country.
- They became an authorized distributor after meeting the brand’s service requirements.
distributor agreement
1/dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ əɡɹˈimənt/
fixed phrase
legal
contract for selling through distributors
a contract between a company and its distributor
Examples
- They signed a distributor agreement covering the Middle East.
- The distributor agreement includes minimum annual sales targets.
- Their lawyer reviewed the distributor agreement before renewal.
distributor cap
1/dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ kˈæp/
fixed phrase
technical
cover on an ignition distributor
the cover on a car’s distributor
Examples
- A cracked distributor cap can cause rough running in damp weather.
- He cleaned the contacts inside the distributor cap.
- The shop replaced the distributor cap and rotor.
distributor rotor
1/dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ ɹˈoʊtɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
spinning arm inside a distributor
the spinning part inside the distributor
Examples
- The distributor rotor was worn, so spark was weak at higher speeds.
- He replaced the distributor rotor during the tune-up.
- A loose rotor can cause intermittent misfires.
exclusive distributor
1/ɪksklˈusɪv dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ/
fixed phrase
business
only distributor in an area
the only distributor allowed in a place
Examples
- They were appointed exclusive distributor for the region.
- As an exclusive distributor, the company controls pricing in that market.
- The contract made her firm the exclusive distributor in Canada.
master distributor
1/mˈæstɚ dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ/
fixed phrase
business
top-level distributor managing others
a main distributor that supplies other sellers
Examples
- The brand uses a master distributor to manage smaller dealers across the region.
- As master distributor, the company sets training and service standards.
- They applied to become the master distributor for the new product line.
sole distributor
1/sˈoʊl dɪstɹˈɪbjətɚ/
fixed phrase
business
single distributor for a product
the only distributor in a place
Examples
- They are the sole distributor of the brand in the UK.
- The company claimed to be the sole distributor, but competitors disagreed.
- As sole distributor, it handles all imports and service.