mercenary C2 Topic:Money & Finance US /ˈmɝ.sə.ˌnɛɹ.i/ UK /ˈmɜː.sə.nə.ɹi/ See IPA manual Freq #13831 Meanings 1 noun A soldier who fights for any country or group that pays them, rather than out of loyalty. The dictator hired foreign mercenaries to crush the rebellion. 2 adj Motivated mainly by money or personal gain. Her mercenary attitude meant she only helped people who could repay her. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a soldier who fights for... soldier of fortune 2 adj · motivated mainly by money... greedyvenalmaterialistic More adventurerbravocondottierefilibusterfreebooterfreelancehirelingmercsellsword Word family Forms mercenaries Etymology AI details From Middle English mercenarye (“someone paid to work, hireling”), from Latin mercēnārius (“hired for money”), from mercēs (“reward, wages, price”). mercenarye Middle English mercēnārius Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Money & Finance Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # mercenary **Type:** Word **Level:** C2 **Part of speech:** noun, adj **IPA (US):** /ˈmɝ.sə.ˌnɛɹ.i/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈmɜː.sə.nə.ɹi/ **Frequency rank:** 13831 ## Meanings 1. A soldier who fights for any country or group that pays them, rather than out of loyalty. 2. Motivated mainly by money or personal gain. ## Examples - The dictator hired foreign mercenaries to crush the rebellion. - Her mercenary attitude meant she only helped people who could repay her. ## Synonyms - adventurer - bravo - condottiere - filibuster - freebooter - freelance - hireling - merc - sellsword ## Roots and Affixes - Root: mercenarye - Root: mercēnārius ## Etymology From Middle English mercenarye (“someone paid to work, hireling”), from Latin mercēnārius (“hired for money”), from mercēs (“reward, wages, price”). ## AI Etymology Mercenary is from Middle English mercenarye (“someone paid to work, hireling”), from Latin mercēnārius (“hired for money”), from mercēs (“reward, wages, price”). Important recorded forms include mercenarye (Middle English) and mercēnārius (Latin). Current senses include a soldier who fights for any country or group that pays them, rather than out of loyalty and motivated mainly by money or personal gain. ## Topics - Money & Finance - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown