mercenary
Use Mercenary in a sentence
səˌnɛr adjective
1.
working or acting merely for money or other reward; venal.
2.
hired to serve in a foreign army, guerrilla organization, etc.
noun
3.
a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army.
4.
any hireling.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English mercenarie < Latin mercēnnārius working for pay, hired worker, mercenary, perhaps, representing earlier *mercēd(i)nārius, equivalent to *mercēdin-, stem of *mercēdō, a by-form of mercēs, stem mercēd- payment, wage (akin to merx goods; cf. merchant) + -ārius -ary
1350–1400; Middle English mercenarie < Latin mercēnnārius working for pay, hired worker, mercenary, perhaps, representing earlier *mercēd(i)nārius, equivalent to *mercēdin-, stem of *mercēdō, a by-form of mercēs, stem mercēd- payment, wage (akin to merx goods; cf. merchant) + -ārius -ary
Related forms
mer·ce·nar·i·ness, noun
non·mer·cen·ar·y, adjective, noun, plural non·mer·cen·ar·ies.
un·mer·ce·nar·i·ly, adverb
un·mer·ce·nar·i·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. grasping, acquisitive, avaricious, covetous.
1. grasping, acquisitive, avaricious, covetous.
Antonyms
1. altruistic, idealistic, unselfish.
1. altruistic, idealistic, unselfish.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To mercenary
00:10
Mercenary
is an SAT word you need to know.
So is nefarious. Does it mean:
| extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous: |
| making marks that cannot be erased, removed, or the like: |
Collins
World English Dictionary
mercenary (ˈmɜːsɪnərɪ, -sɪnrɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | influenced by greed or desire for gain |
| 2. | of or relating to a mercenary or mercenaries |
| —n , -naries | |
| 3. | a man hired to fight for a foreign army, etc |
| 4. | rare any person who works solely for pay |
| [C16: from Latin mercēnārius, from mercēs wages] | |
| 'mercenarily | |
| —adv | |
| 'mercenariness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
mercenary
late 14c., "one who works only for hire," from L. mercenarius "one who does anything for pay," lit. "hired, paid," from merces (gen. mercedis) "pay, reward, wages," from merx (see market). The adj. is recorded from 1530s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Example sentences
They served mostly as mercenary agents of espionage and as spies.
After all, this is a not a government with an army, but a mining corporation with mercenary security.
When it comes to souvenirs, rented transportation and mercenary guides, it appears there really is nothing new under the sun.
He continued that employment for the space of five years, being daily useful, and not mercenary to his friend.
Nearby Words
Related Questions
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
