Meaning

noun someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold

noun a firm engaged in trading

noun a seller of illicit goods

originFrom Middle English delare, from Old English dǣlere, from Proto-West Germanic [Term?]. By surface analysis, deal + -er. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Deeler, West Frisian dieler, Dutch deler, German Teiler, Swedish delare.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0