[mer.ce.nary] n, pl -nar.ies [ME, fr. L mercenarius, irreg. fr. merced-, merces wages--more at mercy] (14c): one that serves merely for wages; esp: a soldier hired into foreign service
[2]mercenary adj (1532) 1: serving merely for pay or sordid advantage: venal; also: greedy
2: hired for service in the army of a foreign country -- mer.ce.nar.i.ly adv -- mer.ce.nar.i.ness n