spruiker

English

Etymology

From spruik +‎ -er (“suffix generating agent noun”).

Pronunciation

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): [ˈspɹʉːkə]
• Rhymes: -uːkə(ɹ)

Noun

spruiker (plural spruikers)

1. (Australia) One who spruiks business, a tout.
   • 1993, Mark St Leon, The Wizard of the Wire: The Story of Con Colleano, Aboriginal Studies Press, Australia, page 9,

     The spruiker then asked, “Now we want to know, will anyone have a go at the heavyweight? If anyone can stand four rounds we will give them a five-pound note and the best bottle of wine in the town”.

   • 2008, Sim Shen, “Hanoi and Other Homes”, in Alice Pung, editor, Growing Up Asian in Australia, page 338:

     Our days were filled with new sensations – the bite of every dragon fruit, the smell of roasting meat emanating from the dog restaurants near the Red River, the endless chatter of spruikers and peddlers.

   • 2009, Kate Darian-Smith, On the Home Front: Melbourne in Wartime: 1939-1945, 2nd edition, page 170:

     At the convention of the Victorian Protestant Federation G. A. Judkins alleged that attractive young girls were used as spruikers, luring Melburnians to gamble.⁷¹

2. (Australia) One who toots their own horn.

Synonyms

• (one who spruiks): barker, tout

Related terms

• spruik

See also

• huckster
• pitchman