1. a person who travels around selling or distributing books, especially religious books
Usage: somewhat archaic

Examples

• The colporteur carried a heavy satchel filled with Bibles and religious pamphlets.
• In the 19th century, colporteurs played an important role in spreading literacy to rural areas.
• The missionary society employed several colporteurs to distribute books throughout the countryside.
• As a colporteur, he walked from village to village selling affordable religious texts.
• The colporteur’s wagon was loaded with books for farmers and their families.
• Many colporteurs were volunteers who believed in their mission to spread knowledge.