I. ˈmərchənt, ˈmə̄ch-, ˈməich- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English marchaunt, marchaund, marchant, from Old French marcheant, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin mercatant-, mercatans, from present participle of (assumed) Vulgar Latin mercatare, from Latin mercatus, past participle of mercari to trade, deal in commodities, from merc-, merx ware, merchandise — more at market
1.
a. : a buyer and seller of commodities for profit : trader
b. : the operator of a retail business : storekeeper
2. Scotland : customer
3. archaic : fellow , guy
4. obsolete : merchantman
5. : a person conspicuous for ideas or activities of a particular kind : purveyor , specialist
his guess is likely to be as accurate as that of the merchant of doom — Harrison Smith
had been … acquiring among musical-comedy orchestrators a reputation as a speed merchant — H.W.Wind
II. adjective
Etymology: Middle English marchaund, marchant, from marchaunt, marchaund, marchant, n.
1.
a. : of, relating to, or used in commerce
b. : of or relating to a merchant marine
c. : having a merchant's traits or qualities
2.
a. : of ordinary or standard shape or size : not made to special order : stock — used of metal bars and ingots
merchant pig iron
b. : producing metal bars or ingots in standard shapes and sizes
merchant mill
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English marchaunden, from Middle French marchander, from Old French marcheandier, from marcheant merchant
intransitive verb
archaic : to deal or trade as a merchant
transitive verb
: to buy and sell : deal or trade in
something considerably superior to what Broadway usually merchants in these days — G.J.Nathan