1. The objects of commerce; whatever is usually bought or sold in trade, or market, or by merchants; wares; goods; commodities.
Spenser.
2. The act or business of trading; trade; traffic.
Merchandise
(Mer"chan*dise), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Merchandised ; p. pr. & vb. n. Merchandising ]
To trade; to carry on commerce. Bacon.
Merchandise
(Mer"chan*dise), v. t. To make merchandise of; to buy and sell. "Love is merchandised."
Shak.
Merchandiser
(Mer"chan*di`ser) n. A trader. Bunyan.
Merchandry
(Mer"chand*ry) n. [See Merchant.] Trade; commerce. [Obs.] Bp. Sanderson.
Merchant
(Mer"chant) n. [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. 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. To be a merchant; to trade. [Obs.]
Merchantable
(Mer"chant*a*ble) a. Fit for market; such as is usually sold in market, or such as will bring
the ordinary price; as, merchantable wheat; sometimes, a technical designation for a particular kind or
class.
Merchantly
(Mer"chant*ly), a. Merchantlike; suitable to the character or business of a merchant. [Obs.]
Gauden.
Merchantman
(Mer"chant*man) n.; pl. Merchantmen
1. A merchant. [Obs.] Matt. xiii. 45.
2. A trading vessel; a ship employed in the transportation of goods, as, distinguished from a man-of- war.
Merchantry
(Mer"chant*ry) n.
1. The body of merchants taken collectively; as, the merchantry of a country.
2. The business of a merchant; merchandise. Walpole.
Merciable
(Mer"ci*a*ble) a. [OF.] Merciful. [Obs.]
