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merchants

- 2 dictionary results

mer⋅chant

[mur-chuhnt]
–noun
1. a person who buys and sells commodities for profit; dealer; trader.
2. a storekeeper; retailer: a local merchant who owns a store on Main Street.
3. Chiefly British. a wholesaler.
–adjective
4. pertaining to or used for trade or commerce: a merchant ship.
5. pertaining to the merchant marine.
6. Steelmaking. (of bars and ingots) of standard shape or size.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME marchant < OF marcheant < VL *mercātant- (s. of *mercātāns), prp. of *mercātāre, freq. of L mercārī to trade, deriv. of merx goods


mer⋅chant⋅like, adjective
mer·chant   (mûr'chənt)   
n.  
  1. One whose occupation is the wholesale purchase and retail sale of goods for profit.
  2. One who runs a retail business; a shopkeeper.
adj.  
  1. Of or relating to merchants, merchandise, or commercial trade: a merchant guild.
  2. Of or relating to the merchant marine: merchant ships.

[Middle English merchaunt, from Old French marcheant, from Vulgar Latin *mercātāns, present participle of *mercātāre, frequentative of Latin mercārī, to trade, from merx, merc-, merchandise.]
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