scalper
scalper Lexical Profile
scalper Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A person who buys tickets for a popular event, or other high-demand goods, only to resell them at a significantly inflated price for quick profit.
"Because the championship game sold out in minutes, fans had to pay triple the face value to buy seats from a scalper."
A financial trader or speculator who buys and sells securities, commodities, or currencies rapidly in high volumes to profit from small price fluctuations.
"Working as a day-trading scalper requires intense concentration and split-second decision-making as market prices shift."
A specialized agricultural or industrial machine used to screen out large debris, hulls, or rough outer layers from harvested grain or bulk materials.
"Before the wheat enters the main storage silo, a rotary scalper removes coarse straw and large stones from the harvest."
Word Nuance & Usage
In British English, a person who resells event tickets at inflated prices is typically called a 'tout' or 'ticket tout' rather than a 'scalper'.
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed from the verb 'scalp' plus the agentive suffix '-er'. The commercial sense originated in late 19th-century American English, originally referring to brokers who bought and resold unused portions of railway tickets at a profit.