purveyor

UK: /pə^rˈveɪə^r/ US: (pər vā′ər)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pur•vey•or  (pər vā′ər), n. 

1. a person who purveys, provides, or supplies:
   a purveyor of foods; a purveyor of lies.
2. Law [Old Eng. Law.] an officer who provided or acquired provisions for the sovereign under the prerogative of purveyance.

• Anglo-French; see purvey, -or²
• Middle English pourveour 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

purveyor / pəˈveɪə/ noun

1. (often plural) a person, organization, etc, that supplies food and provisions
2. a person who spreads, repeats, or sells (information, lies, etc)
3. a person or thing that habitually provides or supplies a particular thing or quality: a purveyor of humour
4. an officer providing or exacting provisions, lodging, etc, for a sovereign

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pur•vey /pɚˈveɪ/   v. [~ + object]

1. to supply (esp. provisions), usually as a business:
   They purvey food to ships in the harbor.
2. to peddle;
   sell:
   purveying pornography.

pur•vey•or, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pur•vey  (pər vā′), v.t. 

1. to provide, furnish, or supply (esp. food or provisions) usually as a business or service.

• Latin prōvidēre to foresee, provide for. See provide
• Anglo-French purveier
• Middle English purveien 1250–1300