Consignor
Pronunciation: kon-SY-nor
The person or entity that dispatches a shipment of goods and is named as the sender on shipping documents.
Full Definition
The consignor is the originating party in a shipment—typically the seller, exporter, or warehouse operator—who hands goods over to a carrier for transportation to the consignee. The consignor's details appear on the bill of lading, airway bill, and related customs documents. Editors frequently encounter the consignee/consignor pair and must ensure the correct term is applied in each instance. In some jurisdictions, 'consignor' may also be spelled 'consigner', though 'consignor' is the standard form in international trade documents.
Usage
Usage note: Standard spelling is 'consignor', not 'consigner'. Always verify against 'consignee' in the same document to ensure neither is transposed.
In Context
- "The consignor was required to provide a certificate of origin alongside the commercial invoice." — Export compliance document
- "Check that 'consignor' and 'consignee' have not been transposed—a common and consequential editorial error." — Freight document proofreading checklist