1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Huckster

HUCKSTER, a dealer or retailer of goods in a small way. The word, in various forms, is common to many Teutonic languages. In Early English it is found as howkester, hokester, huxter; in early modern Dutch as heuker, and Medieval Low German as hoker; but the ultimate origin is unknown. Huckster apparently belongs to that series of words formed from a verb,—as brew, brewer; but the noun “huckster” is found in use before the verb to huck. Hawker and pedlar are nearly synonymous in meaning, but “huckster” may include a person in a small way of trade in a settled habitation, while a hawker or pedlar invariably travels from place to place offering his wares. In a contemptuous sense, huckster is used of any one who barters, or makes gain or profit in underhand or mean ways, or who over-reaches another, to get advantage for himself.