Added 9 October 2026
mercenary
/ˈmɜː.sə.nə.ɹi/ noun
In Latin: mercēnārius Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about mercenary at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- One motivated by gain, especially monetary.
- A person employed to fight in an armed conflict who is not a member of the state or military group for which they are fighting and whose primary motivation is private gain.
- One hired to engage in a figurative battle, as a corporate takeover, a lawsuit, or a political campaign.
adjective
Origin
From Middle English mercenarye (“someone paid to work, hireling”), from Latin mercēnārius (“hired for money”), from mercēs (“reward, wages, price”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)