merchant

The word “merchant” means someone who buys and sells goods for profit, especially in large quantities or through trade. In plain terms, someone whose business is buying and selling goods, or (informally) someone known for a certain kind of behaviour.

“Merchant” is pronounced MURT-shuhnt (/ˈmɝt͡ʃənt/ in IPA).

Here is “merchant” used in a sentence: “The merchant imported spices from overseas and sold them at the market.”

Words with a similar meaning to “merchant” include chandler, chapman, copreman, dealer, huckster and haggler.

The opposite of “merchant” — its antonyms — is purchaser.

“Merchant” is a noun.

The word “merchant” comes from Latin. From Anglo-Norman marchaunt, from Latin mercor, "to trade or deal" — the same root behind "merchandise" and "market.".

“Merchant” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

A merchant buys and sells goods for profit, often at scale or through ongoing trade, and the word also covers the owner of a retail business. A vendor is anyone selling a particular thing in a particular transaction, from a street seller to a company supplying software. In payments and commerce jargon, however, "merchant" is the standard term for any business that accepts payment.

Both buy and sell for profit. "Merchant" leans toward goods and established commerce, and can simply mean the owner of a retail business, while "trader" is broader: it covers market stalls and also financial markets, where a trader buys and sells shares or currencies rather than physical goods.