Category:Merchant

Mer"chant, n. Etym: [OE. marchant, OF. marcheant, F. marchand, fr. LL. mercatans, -antis, p. pr. of mercatare to negotiate, L. mercari to traffic, fr. merx, mercis, wares. See Market, Merit, and cf. Commerce.]

1. One who traffics on a large scale, especially with foreign countries; a trafficker; a trader. Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad. Shak.

2. A trading vessel; a merchantman. [Obs.] Shak.

3. One who keeps a store or shop for the sale of goods; a shopkeeper. [U. S. & Scot.]

merchant Mer"chant, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or employed in, trade or merchandise; as, the merchant service. Merchant bar, Merchant iron or steel, certain common sizes of wrought iron and steel bars. -- Merchant service, the mercantile marine of a country. Am. Cyc. -- Merchant ship, a ship employed in commerce. -- Merchant tailor, a tailor who keeps and sells materials for the garments which he makes.

merchant Mer"chant, v. i.

Defn: To be a merchant; to trade. [Obs.]

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Merchant - The Hebrew word so rendered is from a root meaning "to travel about," "to migrate," and hence "a traveler." In the East, in ancient times, merchants traveled about with their merchandise from place to place (Genesis 37:25; Job 6:18), and carried on their trade mainly by bartering (Genesis 37:28; Genesis 39:1). After the Hebrews became settled in Palestine they began to engage in commercial pursuits, which gradually expanded (Genesis 49:13; Deuteronomy 33:18; Judges 5:17), till in the time of Solomon they are found in the chief marts of the world (1 Kings 9:26; 1 Kings 10:11, 1 Kings 10:26, 1 Kings 10:28; 1 Kings 22:48; 2 Chronicles 1:16; 2 Chronicles 9:10, 2 Chronicles 9:21). After Solomon's time their trade with foreign nations began to decline. After the Exile it again expanded into wider foreign relations, because now the Jews were scattered in many lands.