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merchant Definition

mer·chant (mʉr′c̸hənt)

noun

  1. a person whose business is buying and selling goods for profit; trader, esp. one in the wholesale trade who deals with foreign countries
  2. a person who sells goods at retail; storekeeper; shopkeeper

Etymology: ME marchant < OFr marchant < VL *mercatans, prp. of *mercatare, for L mercari, to trade, buy < merx, wares: see market

adjective

  1. of or used in trade; mercantile; commercial
  2. of the merchant marine

transitive verb

to carry on trade in; deal in

merchant Synonyms

merchant

n.

trader, storekeeper, retailer, shopkeeper, wholesaler, salesman, handler, sender, consignor, exporter, shipper, dealer, local representative, jobber, tradesman; see also businessperson.

merchant Law Definition

n

An individual or entity that buys goods and resells them for a profit, and that is assumed to be expert in the particular type of goods.
merchant Usage Examples

Possessives

  • builder: Then a local builder's merchant built a hall on the far side, closing up the open view across the pit.
  • plumber: That job also involved a lengthy trip to get parts from the plumbers ' merchant.

Adjective modifier

  • wealthy: Her father was one of Britain's wealthiest merchants.
  • prosperous: Davidson fell in love with the daughter of a prosperous merchant.
  • Armenian: Whereas, the existence of Armenian weavers in Istanbul and of Armenian merchants in Poland is well attested.
  • Dutch: From the late 15th-century Dutch merchants and itinerant fleets also factored.
  • Flemish: A group of Flemish merchants were burnt to death in their guild hall at the express orders of Edward.
  • wholesale: Beaches, excursions, coastal lanes, fishing, co-operative maritime and wholesale fish merchants.

Modifies a noun

  • shipping: Brown started his career in merchant shipping, working his way up the ranks.
  • seaman: Introduction The majority of records relating to merchant seamen are with The National Archives.
  • navy: We have many books on the merchant navy at war, including Lloyd's War losses for both World Wars.
  • adventurer: The gala dinner is a short walk away at the magnificent Merchant Adventurers ' Hall in Fossgate.
  • Taylor: Stockport girls gained 116 points against Merchant Taylors ' girls score of 132.
  • venturer: Talks will be taking place during the day in the Merchant Venturers ' Building.

Noun used with modifier

  • builder: Contact a builder merchant directly or search using the internet.
  • coal: A large proportion of the sidings were used for the conveyance of coal and a coal merchants stood on the site until very recently.
  • wool: John Hustler died 1790 A Bradford Quaker and wool merchant.
  • timber: Timber fire door merchants also did well with a net 37 % selling more fire doors than the previous three months.
  • wine: There are now a small number of specialist wine merchants which only sell online.
  • rip-off: The solicitor I used was not really a rip-off merchant he was just an ordinary solicitor making a healthy profit like most other solicitors.
merchant Quotes

He that is a traveller must have the back of an ass to bear all, atonguelikethetail ofa dog toflatterall, themouthof a hog to eat all what is set before him, the ear of a merchant to hear all and say nothing; and if this be not the highest step of thraldom, there is no liberty or freedom.

—Nashe,Thomas

Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

—Bible (NewTestament)

Alas, alas, who's injured by my love? What merchant's ships have my sighs drowned? Who says my tears have overflowed his ground? When did my colds a forward spring remove? When did the heats which my veins fill Add one more to the plaguey bill? Soldiers find wars, and lawyers find out still Litigious men, which quarrels move, Though she and I do love.

—Donne,John