merchant

noun

mer·chant | \ ˈmər-chənt

Definition of merchant

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a buyer and seller of commodities for profit : trader

2 : the operator of a retail business : storekeeper

3 : one that is noted for a particular quality or activity : specialist a speed merchant on the base paths

merchant

adjective

Definition of merchant (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : of, relating to, used in, or engaged in commerce The city's reputation, though, is as a merchant city in this nation historically known for its traders.— Peter Theroux

2 : of, relating to, or used in a merchant marine part of the merchant fleet One hundred years ago, a group of 11 senators blocked a bill that would have allowed U.S. merchant ships to arm themselves against German U-boats as World War I raged in Europe.— James Hohmann

merchant

verb

merchanted; merchanting; merchants

Definition of merchant (Entry 3 of 3)

intransitive verb

archaic : to deal or trade as a merchant

transitive verb

: to deal or trade in

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about merchant

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Examples of merchant in a Sentence

Noun

Merchants traveled hundreds of miles to trade in the city. a family of wealthy merchants The town's merchants closed their shops during the parade. Prizes were given by local merchants.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Al-Ikhbariya said one of the suicide bombers hit a vegetable market in the city of Sweida just after 5 a.m., a busy time for the merchants at the start of their day. — Fox News, "Hundreds killed as ISIS fighters ambush city, towns in southern Syria," 25 July 2018 Government consumer offices can pursue legal action if evidence shows the merchant has violated the law. — Kevin Brasler, Philly.com, "Have a consumer problem? How to complain and get results," 1 July 2018 Honestly, just holding a conversation with the merchants at these things can feel like an exhausting performance. — Christopher Arnott, courant.com, "Little Theatre Of Manchester, Curtain Call Announce New Seasons," 26 June 2018 Inexperienced, but with breathtaking finishing ability that the Swans haven't seen since Michu, the team could quite literally be built around the low socked goal merchant. — SI.com, "Fend Off the Northerners: Selling McBurnie & Bartley Would Be the Worst Mistake for Swansea to Make," 26 May 2018 The 7-Minute Itch These cities have the shortest (and longest) delivery times, from the merchant to your couch. — Lauren Murrow, WIRED, "Thanks to Binges and Benders, Postmates Knows the True You," 23 May 2018 This policy simply means that if something is lost or damaged while being shipped, Instagram will cover the refund cost rather than the merchant. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Instagram Just Added a New In-App Shopping Feature," 19 Mar. 2019 The merchant can then send payment requests through Messenger to streamline the process. — Natt Garun, The Verge, "Facebook is testing a shopping mode for live-streamers," 6 Dec. 2018 That’s because your card information is never collected by the merchant. — Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Condé Nast Traveler, "6 Ways You Put Your Data at Risk When You Travel," 6 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

So basically merchant refineries should not be the ones that have to purchase these credits or blend the ethanol. — Jacob Weisberg, Slate Magazine, "The Obscure EPA Rule That Brought Down a Trump Adviser," 23 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'merchant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near merchant

Statistics for merchant

Last Updated

13 Apr 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for merchant

The first known use of merchant was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for merchant

merchant

noun

English Language Learners Definition of merchant

(Entry 1 of 2)

somewhat old-fashioned : someone who buys and sells goods especially in large amounts

chiefly US or Scotland : the owner or manager of a store

informal : someone who is known for a particular quality, activity, etc.

merchant

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of merchant (Entry 2 of 2)

: used for or involved in trading goods

See the full definition for merchant in the English Language Learners Dictionary

merchant

noun

mer·chant | \ ˈmər-chənt

Kids Definition of merchant

1 : a person who buys and sells goods especially on a large scale or with foreign countries

2 : storekeeper sense 1

merchant

noun

mer·chant | \ ˈmər-chənt

Legal Definition of merchant

: a person who trades in goods especially of a certain kind and possesses expertise in the area of the goods and the practices of trading in them or who employs others with such expertise a warranty that the goods shall be merchantable is implied in a contract for their sale if the seller is a merchant with respect to goods of that kind — Uniform Commercial Code