Etymologically
Log in

mercantile

Etymology and origin of the English word mercantile

History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈmɜːkənˌtaɪl/ (UK); /ˈmɝ.kənˌtaɪl/, /-ˌtil/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French mercantile,[2][3][4][5][6] from Italian mercantile,[2][3][4][5][6] from mercante “merchant”,[2][3][5][6] from Latin mercāns “merchant; trading”, present participle of mercārī “to trade”,[2][3][4][5] from merx “goods, merchandise” (see market).[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of or belonging to merchants or trade; commercial (1642).[7][3][5][4]

Semantic evolution

From about 1645 the word described a person or nation engaged in trade, as in mercantile marine, the shipping used in commerce.[7][8] Adam Smith used mercantile system in 1776 for the economic doctrine that wealth consists in gold and silver, so that exports should be encouraged and imports restricted;[4][7] hence the modern sense “relating to mercantilism”.[2][5] In the 18th century the word could also mean mercenary or fond of bargaining (1756).[7]

Timeline

  • 1642 – of merchants or trade.[7][3][5]
  • c. 1645 – engaged in trade.[7]
  • 1756 – mercenary.[7]
  • 1776 – mercantile system (Adam Smith).[4][7]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Of or relating to merchants or trade; commercial.
  2. Engaged in trade or commerce, as a mercantile nation.
  3. Of or relating to mercantilism.

Word family

  • nonmercantile
  • unmercantile
  • merchant
  • mercantilism
  • market
  • mercenary
  • commerce

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Mercantile.” Etymologically, 10 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/mercantile. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on .