English

trader

gb/tɹˈeɪdɚ/ us/tɹˈeɪdɚ/
B1 English
~ 8800
Senses
0 senses
Noun B1 entity
1

person who buys and sells goods

A person or business that buys things and sells them again to make money.

Usage pattern: [a trader] buys and sells [goods/services]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "trader" with "traitor" because they look similar. A "trader" buys and sells things, while a "traitor" betrays their country or friends. Learners may also think a trader is any person who exchanges items once, but the word usually describes someone who does this as a job or business.
Synonyms
merchant (Often suggests someone involved in large-scale or formal buying and selling, sometimes in international trade.) | dealer (Focuses on someone who buys and sells a particular type of product, such as cars or art.) | vendor (Often used for someone who sells items directly to customers, especially in the street or at markets.)
Antonyms
customer (A customer buys goods or services, while a trader sells them.) | consumer (A consumer uses or buys products for personal use, not for resale or trading.)
Collocations
local traders |market trader |street trader |independent trader |small traders |online trader
Themes
business |economics |work |finance |core_vocabulary
Examples
  • The city organized a meeting with local traders to discuss new market rules.
  • Street traders were setting up their stalls before sunrise.
  • As an independent trader, she imports handmade crafts and sells them online.
  • Small traders say the new tax will hurt their businesses.
  • Many market traders rely on tourist season to make most of their income.
Learner examples
  • Many traders sell fruit and vegetables in this market.
  • The town has many small traders who own family shops.
  • A street trader offered me a cheap watch.
  • The new law will change how local traders do business.
unknown technical B2 entity
2

person trading financial instruments

A person whose job is to buy and sell things like company shares, currencies, or other financial products to make money from price changes.

Usage pattern: [a trader] buys and sells [financial instruments]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse a "trader" with an "investor". A trader usually buys and sells often, trying to profit from short-term price moves, while an investor normally holds assets for a long time. Some learners also think "trader" and "broker" mean the same thing; a broker mainly arranges trades for others, while a trader is usually trading for a firm or for themselves.
Synonyms
speculator (Emphasizes taking financial risks in the hope of large profit, often with a critical tone.) | broker (Usually arranges trades for clients rather than trading mainly for their own account.)
Antonyms
long-term investor (Buys and holds assets for many years, focusing on long-term growth instead of frequent short-term trades.)
Collocations
stock trader |currency trader |day trader |options trader |Wall Street trader |forex trader
Themes
finance |business |economics |work
Examples
  • Traders reacted nervously to the sudden drop in oil prices.
  • She worked as a currency trader at a major investment bank.
  • Many day traders lost money when the market moved against them.
  • High-frequency traders use complex algorithms to execute thousands of orders in seconds.
  • Regulators are investigating whether any traders used inside information.
Learner examples
  • The trader bought the shares in the morning and sold them in the afternoon.
  • He wants to become a trader on the stock market.
  • Some traders make money when prices go up and also when they go down.
  • The bank hired more traders to work in its London office.
Grammar
Dictionary form
trader
IPA
GB/tɹˈeɪdɚ/
US/tɹˈeɪdɚ/
Syllables & stress
trader (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (trader)
Word forms
Noun
  • Base: trader
  • Plural: traders
Word family
Forms
traders noun
Core family
trade noun B1
Related words
trading noun B1 tradable adjective
Advanced or less common
tradeable adjective
Expressions

day trader

1
/dˈeɪ tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase

person trading within one day

A person who buys and sells things like shares or currencies many times in one day to try to make money from small price changes.

Examples
  • During the tech boom, many day traders quit their jobs to trade full-time.
  • Day traders need fast internet and real-time market data to do their work.
  • The new rules are designed to protect inexperienced investors from the risks of becoming day traders.

futures trader

1
/fjˈut͡ʃɚz tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase technical

person trading futures contracts

A trader who buys and sells futures contracts, which are agreements to buy or sell something at a set price on a future date.

Examples
  • Futures traders closely watch reports on crop yields and weather patterns.
  • As a futures trader, he specializes in energy and metals markets.

high-frequency trader

1
/hˈaɪ fɹˈikwənsi tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase technical

ultra-fast algorithmic market trader

A trader or company that uses very fast computers to make many trades in a very short time, often in fractions of a second.

Examples
  • High-frequency traders compete to place orders a few microseconds faster than their rivals.
  • The role of high-frequency traders in market volatility is still debated.

independent trader

1
/ˌɪndɪpˈɛndənt tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase

self-employed trader

A trader who has their own business and does not work for a big company or chain.

Examples
  • The new shopping center has pushed many independent traders out of the area.
  • Independent traders say they cannot compete with large supermarkets on price.

insider trader

1
/ɪnsˈaɪdɚ tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase technical

person trading on inside information

A person who buys or sells a company’s shares using secret company information that the public does not know, which is usually illegal.

Examples
  • The court sentenced the former executive as an insider trader who profited from secret merger talks.
  • Laws against insider traders are meant to keep markets fair for ordinary investors.

market trader

1
/mˈɑɹkɪt tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase

person selling at a market stall

A person who sells goods, such as food or clothes, from a stall at a market.

Examples
  • Many market traders have worked on the same stall for decades.
  • The council raised the fees that market traders must pay for their pitches.

retail trader

1
/ɹˈitˌeɪl tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase technical

non-professional individual trader

A private person who trades things like shares or currencies with their own money, not for a bank or company.

Examples
  • Retail traders poured into the market using commission-free trading apps.
  • New rules aim to protect retail traders from complex financial products.

sole trader

1
/sˈoʊl tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase

one-person business owner

A person who has a business alone, not with partners or a company, and is personally responsible for the business’s money and debts.

Examples
  • She registered as a sole trader when she started her graphic design business.
  • Many plumbers and electricians work as sole traders rather than forming companies.

street trader

1
/stɹˈit tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase

person selling goods on street

A person who sells things from a small stand, cart, or table on the street or in an open market.

Examples
  • Street traders lined the square, selling snacks and souvenirs.
  • The city now requires all street traders to have a license.

rogue trader

1
/ɹˈoʊɡ tɹˈeɪdɚ/
fixed phrase

uncontrolled or illegal financial trader

A worker at a bank or company who secretly buys and sells in very risky or illegal ways, without permission, and can lose a lot of money.

Examples
  • The bank collapsed after a rogue trader hid huge losses.
  • The bank lost billions of dollars because of a rogue trader in its derivatives division.
  • New rules were introduced to stop rogue traders from taking such risks.
  • New controls were introduced after a rogue trader hid huge losses from management.
  • The film is based on the true story of a famous rogue trader.

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