# merchant

/ˈmɝtʃənt/ (US) · /mˈɜːtʃənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/merchant
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a trader

noun · CEFR B1

a person who buys and sells large amounts of goods, especially between different countries.

For teachers: a person involved in wholesale trade, traditionally one who deals with foreign countries or supplies specific commodities.

- The spice merchant travelled across the ocean to find the best cinnamon.
- Venetian merchants dominated the Mediterranean trade routes for centuries, accumulating vast wealth through the exchange of silk and precious metals.

### 2. a shop owner

noun · CEFR B2

someone who owns or manages a retail store.

For teachers: the owner or operator of a retail business or commercial enterprise.

- Local merchants in the town square are worried about the new shopping mall.
- The association of local merchants lobbied the city council to improve street lighting and pedestrian access to the historic market district.

### 3. person with a specific habit

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · British English

a person who is known for doing a specific, often annoying, thing very often.

For teachers: a person characterised by a specific, frequently repeated activity or trait; often used with a preceding noun to form a derogatory label.

- Don't listen to him; he's just a doom merchant who thinks everything will fail.
- The tabloid press is often accused of being a group of panic merchants, exaggerating minor risks to increase their readership.

### 4. relating to trade

adjective · CEFR B2

used to describe ships or activities involved in buying and selling goods.

For teachers: relating to merchants or commerce; specifically used to describe non-military trading vessels.

- The country has a large merchant fleet that carries oil across the world.
- During the conflict, the navy was tasked with protecting merchant shipping from submarine attacks in the North Atlantic.

## Examples

- He is such a gossip merchant.
- My brother has become a total gym merchant lately, posting his workout routine every single morning without fail.
- In the world of online commentary, he is known as a doom merchant, constantly predicting the collapse of the economy regardless of the actual data.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.