purchasing agent
1
4.1
- noun
- /ˈpɜrʧəsɪŋ ˈeɪdʒənt/
:
agente de compras
- During the conference, many companies showcased their products to the purchasing agents from various retail chains.
- Talk to the purchasing agent
Examples
-
Based on conversations with the purchasing agents, Steve estimated that approximately 65 percent of the orders are from the monthly inventory process.
Academic text (2002) -
He was the camp purchasing agent, a job with all sorts of possibilities, and he was soon to be in charge of purchasing for other camps that would be opening in a matter of months.
Fiction book (1999) -
"My most recent job was as a purchasing agent," Grace said.
Blog text (31) -
The plant managers send electronic inventory reports to the appropriate purchasing agent after the physical inventory has been completed.
Academic text (2002) -
I waited until I flew to Virginia to meet with Newport News Shipbuilding's purchasing agent.
Fiction book (1997) -
When the purchase amount is above the micro purchase level, up to $25,000, then a purchasing agent or contracting officer must have competition before buying a product or service from a business.
Blog text (25) -
As the raw lumber or other goods are off-loaded, they are checked manually into the plant on a copy of the inventory order sheet that was sent to the plant from the purchasing agent.
Academic text (2002) -
Iranian purchasing agents were procuring supplies of modern armored vehicles, artillery, ships, and aircraft in immense quantities, mostly from Russia and the other former Soviet republics.
Fiction book (1996) -
The purchasing agent reviewed several proposals before deciding which vendor to choose for the new equipment.
-
As a purchasing agent, her responsibility was to ensure the company got the best prices on office supplies.
Synonyms
23
6.7
A person or company that sells goods for others for a fee
1
7.5
A person who finds and buys things for other people
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun compound is fully compositional: 'purchasing' (the process of acquiring) + 'agent' (a representative who acts for others) yields an agent whose role is to purchase on behalf of someone. While the definition's note about automation/AI is a pragmatic extension, the core meaning is directly derivable from the constituents and follows common cross-linguistic modifier+head patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand it.
Etymology
Purchasing agent The term purchasing agent comes from business: purchasing means 'buying' and agent means 'a person who acts for someone else'. So imagine a trusted helper who goes out to buy what the company needs, and that is why it means 'a person authorized to buy goods or services for another'.