merchants

mer-chants · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    People who buy and sell goods, especially in large quantities, for profit.

  2. 2.

    Business owners or operators of retail establishments.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    merchant class — the social class comprising traders and business owners
  • •
    merchant marine — the commercial shipping fleet of a nation

Related words

Antonyms: buyers, consumers, customers
See also: commerce, merchant, trade, vendor
Synonyms: dealers, sellers, shopkeepers, traders, vendors

Etymology

From Old French marcheant ("trader"), from Latin mercans, present participle of mercari ("to trade"), from merx ("merchandise"). The plural form has been used since Middle English.