Realtor
Pronunciation
- US
- Pronunciation is usually considered incorrect.
Origin
Coined by Charles N. Chadbourn in 1916, from real (in real estate) and -or, based on the model of Latin agent nouns ending in -tor (such as actor, creator), to refer to real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of Realtors, a trade association in the United States.
Full definition of realtor
Noun
realtor
(plural realtors)- (North America) A person or business that sells or leases out real estate, acting as an agent for the property owner.
- 1919, Mr. Shannon, in United States Senate, U.S. Housing Corporation. Hearings Before a Subcommittee:It was composed of an engineer, if I remember correctly, a town planner, a realtor, and occasionally an architect ...
- 1922, Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt:First place, we ought to insist that folks call us ‘realtors’ and not ‘real-estate men.’ Sounds more like a reg’lar profession.
- 1975, Jerzy N Kosinski, Cockpit, Grove Press (1998), page 189:Intrigued by the prospect of an additional commission, the realtor hurriedly assured me he foresaw no problem in obtaining the lease.
- 1997, Douglas A. Gray, Canadian home buying made easy, second edition, page 72:The terms agent, broker, and realtor are often used interchangeably.
- 2003, Gary Andrew Dresden, Confessions of a Gynecologist, iUniverse, page 111:The realtor was like a carnivore, ready to spring. He was originally from New York and he seemed like the kind of guy who could smell a deal.
Usage notes
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) web site, realtor "is a registered Collective trade mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors and subscribes to its code of ethics."
. The NAR spells "realtor" in all capital letters.
Synonyms
- estate agent British
- real estate agent