Dictionary

merchantry en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃəntɹi/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *merks Latin merx Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -or Latin mercor Latin mercānsder. Anglo-Norman marchauntbor. Middle English marchaunt English merchant Middle English -re, -ri, -rie, -ry, -rye English -ry English merchantry From merchant + -ry.

Meanings

1. (dated, uncountable, usually) The body of merchants taken collectively.
   • the merchantry of a country
2. (dated, uncountable, usually) The business of a merchant; merchandise.
   • I wish human wit, which is really very considerable in mechanics and merchantry, could devise some method of cultivating canes and making sugar without the manual labour of the human species. 1789, Horace Walpole, letter to Miss Hannah More:

Forms