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mercenary

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Mercenary is defined as a person whose only motivation to work is money.

(noun)

An example of a mercenary is a person who cares only about money and would be willing to behave unethically to get it.

The definition of mercenary is someone whose only motivation to do a job is the money they would be paid.

(adjective)

An example of someone that would be described as mercenary is a professional soldier.

See mercenary in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

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

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

noun pl. mercenaries

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

Related Forms:

mercenarily adverb
mercenariness noun

See mercenary in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective

Motivated solely by a desire for monetary or material gain.
Hired for service in a foreign army.

noun pl. mer·ce·nar·ies

One who serves or works merely for monetary gain; a hireling.
A professional soldier hired for service in a foreign army.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English mercenarie, a mercenary

Origin: , from Old French mercenaire

Origin: , from Latin mercēnnārius

Origin: , from mercēs, wages, price

Related Forms:

merˌce·narˈi·ly adverb

merˈce·narˌi·ness noun

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