— mercenarily /merr'seuh nair"euh lee, merr"seuh ner'-/ , adv. — mercenariness , n.
/merr"seuh ner'ee/ , adj., n., pl. mercenaries .
adj.
1. working or acting merely for money or other reward; venal.
2. hired to serve in a foreign army, guerrilla organization, etc.
n.
3. a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army.
4. any hireling.
[ 1350-1400; ME mercenarie mercennarius working for pay, hired worker, mercenary, perh., repr. earlier * merced ( i ) narius, equiv. to * mercedin-, s. of * mercedo, a by-form of merces, s. merced- payment, wage (akin to merx goods; cf. MERCHANT) + -arius -ARY ]
Syn. 1. grasping, acquisitive, avaricious, covetous.
Ant. 1. altruistic, idealistic, unselfish.