mercenariness

Variant of mercenary

mercenary definition

mer·ce·nary (mʉr′sə ner′ē)

adjective

  1. working or done for payment only; motivated by a desire for money or other gain; venal; greedy
  2. designating a soldier serving for pay in a foreign army; hired

Etymology: L mercenarius < merces, pay, wages, akin to merx: see market

noun pl. mercenaries -·nar′·ies

  1. a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army
  2. any person who will do anything for money; hireling

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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