Definition

A person who illegally sells or transports goods, especially alcohol, without government permission.

Example

During the Prohibition era, many bootleggers operated in secret to supply alcohol to those who wanted it.

Conversation

Did you hear about that bootlegger who got caught in town?

Yeah, I saw it on the news; it’s wild how they were operating for so long.

I wonder how many others are still out there being bootleggers.

Probably quite a few, but I hope they get shut down soon.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Bootlegger → The word 'bootleg' is derived from the practice of concealing illegal goods in the legs of boots, where 'boot' (from Old English 'bōt', meaning a covering for the foot) refers to the footwear, and 'leg' (from Old English 'lǣg', meaning the limb) refers to the part of the body. The suffix '-er' indicates a person who engages in this activity. Thus, a bootlegger is a person who illegally transports or sells goods, particularly alcohol.

Memory Tip

Imagine someone hiding illegal items in their 'boots' ('boot') and 'legs' ('leg') — that's how you remember that a bootlegger is someone who smuggles or sells illegal goods.

Visually Confused Words