"one who travels about selling small wares which he carries with him," late 14c., pedelere (c. 1300 as a surname, Will. Le Pedelare), altered from peoddere, peddere (c. 1200, mid-12c. as a surname), which probably is from Medieval Latin pedarius "one who goes on foot" [The Middle English Compendium], from Latin pes (genitive pedis) "foot," from PIE root *ped- "foot." Middle English ped "panier, wicker basket" is a back-formation from pedder. Pedlar, preferred spelling in U.K., is attested from late 14c.
