merchant (English)
Where does "merchant" come from?
The English word 'merchant' descends from the Anglo-Norman 'marchaunt,' which itself traces back to the Latin verb 'mercor,' meaning to trade or deal. Throughout its evolution from Middle English to the present day, the term has consistently referred to a person engaged in the trafficking and sale of commodities for profit.
Full etymology tree
- merchant (English), 'A person who traffics in commodities for profit.'
- inherited marchaunt (Middle English)
- inherited marchaunt (Anglo-Norman)
- derived mercans (Latin), 'trading'
- derived mercor (Latin), 'to trade, deal, sell'
- inherited merx (Latin), 'merchandise, commodity'
- derived mercor (Latin), 'to trade, deal, sell'
- derived mercans (Latin), 'trading'
- inherited marchaunt (Anglo-Norman)
- inherited marchaunt (Middle English)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris