Jobber
/ˈdʒɒb.ər/noun
A person or company that buys and sells goods in bulk, or someone who does casual work.
Did you know?Jobber comes from the same root as *job*, which likely began as a word for a lump or chunk of work, not a mystical title—but it grew into the language of labor, trade, and middlemen.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
jobbe
“A small piece, lump, or irregular mass; later, a piece of work or task.”
16th-17th Century
English
jobber
“One who does small jobs or hires out for work; later, a dealer who buys and sells in bulk.”
16th Century
English
job
“A task, piece of work, or specific undertaking.”
Origin uncertain, likely 16th Century
English
jobbe
“Probably from a dialectal word meaning a cartload, lump, or heavy mass; exact origin is unclear.”
Modern English
English
jobber
“A middleman in commerce or a casual laborer.”