Mer·chant

 

noun: merchant; plural noun: merchants

1. 1.

   a person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially one dealing with foreign countries or supplying merchandise to a particular trade. "the area's leading timber merchant"

   • NORTH AMERICAN

     a retail trader; a store owner. "the credit cards are accepted by 10 million merchants worldwide"

     synonyms: trader, dealer, wholesaler, broker, agent, seller, buyer, buyer and seller, vendor, distributor, peddler, retailer, shopkeeper, storekeeper, "a tea merchant from Bombay"

   • (especially in historical contexts) a person involved in trade or commerce.

     "prosperous merchants and clothiers had established a middle class"

2. 2.

   informalderogatory

   a person with a partiality or aptitude for a particular activity or viewpoint. "his driver was no speed merchant"

 

adjective: merchant

1. 1.

   relating to merchants, trade, or commerce. "the growth of the merchant classes"

   • (of ships, sailors, or shipping activity) involved with commerce rather than military activity.

     "a merchant seaman"

Origin

Middle English: from Old French marchant, based on Latin mercari ‘to trade,’ from merx, merc- ‘merchandise.’