merchant

/'mə:tʃənt/

Thân thiện

The merchant arranges fresh produce at the market stall.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A businessperson engaged in retail trade: A "merchant" is a person or company whose business is buying and selling goods for profit, especially in large quantities or through a store.

Usage

• The word "merchant" is a countable noun. It typically refers to a professional trader or seller.
• It is often used to describe someone who owns or runs a business selling goods, or historically, someone involved in trade, especially between countries.
• Example: (This describes a shopkeeper.)
• Example: (This describes a historical trader.)

Examples

• Noun:
  • She is a successful textile merchant.
  • The merchant offered a discount to loyal customers.
  • In the 15th century, Venetian merchants dominated Mediterranean trade.

Advanced Usage

• "Merchant of [something]": This phrase can specify the type of goods traded.
  • He was a merchant of fine wines and cheeses.
• "Merchant bank": A bank that deals primarily with businesses, providing capital for trade rather than personal banking services. (This is a related compound term).
  • The company secured a loan from a merchant bank.

Variants and Related Words

• Merchandise (n): Goods that are bought and sold.
  • The store displayed its new merchandise in the window.
• Merchandising (n): The activity of promoting the sale of goods, especially by their presentation in retail outlets.
  • The toy's success was due to clever merchandising.
• Merchantable (adj): Of suitable quality for sale in the market.
  • The goods must be in a merchantable condition.

Synonyms

• Trader: A person who buys and sells goods, currency, or shares.
• Dealer: A person or business that buys and sells goods.
• Retailer: A person or business that sells goods to the public.
• Tradesperson: A person engaged in trading or a skilled job.

Related Phrases

• Merchant navy (also merchant marine): The ships or personnel of a nation's commercial shipping fleet.
  • He served as an engineer in the merchant navy.
• Merchant ship/vessel: A ship used for transporting cargo.
  • The merchant vessel was loaded with containers.

Idioms

• A merchant of doom (or gloom): A person who predicts or spreads pessimistic news.
  • Don't listen to him; he's just a merchant of doom.
• Merchant prince: (Historical) A very wealthy and powerful merchant.
  • The family's fortune was built by a 19th-century merchant prince.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a businessperson engaged in retail trade

Từ đồng nghĩa

• merchandiser