merchant: [13] Latin merx denoted ‘goods for sale’. From it was derived the verb mercārī ‘trade’ (whose past participle was the source of English market). Mercārī was adapted in Vulgar Latin to mercātāre, whose present participle mercātāns produced the Old French noun marcheant ‘trader’, source of English merchant. Merchandise [13] comes from a derivative of marcheant; and other English descendants of Latin merx are commerce and mercury. => commerce, market, mercury
merchant (n.)
c. 1200, from Anglo-French marchaunt "merchant, shopkeeper" (Old French marcheant, Modern French marchand), from Vulgar Latin *mercatantem (nominative *mercatans) "a buyer," present participle of *mercatare, frequentative of Latin mercari "to trade, traffic, deal in" (see market). Meaning "fellow, chap" is from 1540s; with a specific qualifier, and suggesting someone who deals in it (such as speed merchant "one who enjoys fast driving"), from 1914.
merchant (adj.)
c. 1400, from merchant (n.) and from Old French marcheant (adj.).
双语例句
1. The ride was smooth until they got into the merchant ship's wake.
航行一直很顺利，直到他们碰上了商船的尾流。
来自柯林斯例句
2. "How many times have I heard that before?" Merchant complained angrily.
“我听过有多少次了？”麦钱特生气地抱怨道。
来自柯林斯例句
3. They sent naval forces to protect merchant shipping.
他们派出了海军保护商船。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The new merchant class was anxious for acceptance by the old nobility.
