Definition

The activity of selling books, especially religious texts, directly to people, often by traveling from place to place.

Example

The colportage of religious literature helped spread the message to remote communities.

Conversation

Have you ever heard about colportage?

Yeah, it's that work where people sell books, right?

Exactly! I find it fascinating how colportage can spread knowledge.

It really is cool — those colporteurs do important work.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Colportage → It is derived from the French word 'colporteur' (meaning peddler) which comes from 'col-' (meaning neck) and 'porter' (meaning to carry). The term originally referred to the act of carrying goods, particularly books, for sale or distribution.

Memory Tip

Imagine a peddler carrying goods on their neck — 'col-' means neck and 'porter' means to carry. This helps you remember that colportage refers to the act of carrying items, especially books, for sale.

Visually Confused Words