Meaning & Definition of word "Mercantile"
Mercantile
/ˈmɜːrkənˌtaɪl/
adjective:
- 1. Relating to commerce or trade.
- Example: The mercantile policies of the era promoted trade and economic growth.
- 2. Engaged in the business of commercial trade.
- Example: She worked for a mercantile firm that specialized in importing goods from overseas.
- 3. Of or relating to merchants.
- Example: The town's mercantile history is evident in its old marketplaces.
- 4. Characteristic of a merchant; commercial.
- Example: His mercantile instincts led him to invest in several lucrative ventures.
Etymology
●From Middle English, from Latin 'mercantilis', from 'mercans', the present participle of 'mercari' (to trade).
Common Phrases and Expressions
mercantile interests:
Business or trade interests that are focused on commerce.
mercantile exchange:
A marketplace for buying or selling commodities.
Related Words
merchant:
A person or company involved in wholesale trade.
commerce:
The activity of buying and selling, especially on a large scale.
trade:
The action of buying and selling goods and services.
Slang Meanings of mercantile
Meaning: Used to describe someone overly focused on profit.
● Example Sentence: He's so mercantile, he wouldn't donate even a dollar to charity.
Meaning: Referring to a business that's only about making money.
● Example Sentence: That place is all mercantile, no soul.