realtor

From real (in real estate) and -or. Coined by Charles N. Chadbourn in 1916, 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.[1]

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɹi(ə)l.təɹ/, /ˈɹi(ə)l.tɔɹ/

realtor (plural realtors)

1. (Canada, US) 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.

• For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:realtor.

• estate agent (British)
• real estate agent

• Jacob Zimmerman v. Nat'l Ass'n of Realtors, Cancellation Nos. 92032360, 92040141, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (March 31, 2004), discussing the claim that "realtor" is a generic term, and including 10 dictionary definitions of the term (pp. 17-19).

• Treloar, relator