peddler

1. a person who sells from door to door or in the street.

2. a person who tries to promote some cause, candidate, viewpoint, etc.

Also, pedlar, pedler.

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c.1225, from peoddere, peddere, of unknown origin. Pedlar, preferred spelling in U.K., is attested from 1377. It has the appearance of an agent noun, but no verb is attested in M.E. Perhaps a dim. of ped “panier, basket,” also of unknown origin, but this is only attested from c.1390. Peddle, colloquial for “to retail,” is a back-formation attested from 1837.

It’s the name for someone paddling a canoe, using an oar.