Mer"chant, a. Of, pertaining to,
or employed in, trade or merchandise; as, the merchant
service.
Merchant bar, Merchant iron or
steel, certain common sizes of wrought iron and
steel bars. -- Merchant service, the
mercantile marine of a country. Am. Cyc. --
Merchant ship, a ship employed in
commerce. -- Merchant tailor, a tailor who
keeps and sells materials for the garments which he makes.
Mer"chant, v. i. To be a merchant;
to trade. [Obs.]
Mer"chant (?), n. [OE. marchant,
OF. marcheant, F. marchand, fr. LL. mercatans,
-antis, p. pr. of mercatare to negotiate, L.
mercari to traffic, fr. merx, mercis, wares. See
Market, Merit, and cf. Commerce.]
1. One who traffics on a large scale, especially
with foreign countries; a trafficker; a trader.
Others, like merchants, venture trade
abroad.
Shak.
2. A trading vessel; a merchantman.
[Obs.] Shak.
3. One who keeps a store or shop for the sale
of goods; a shopkeeper. [U. S. & Scot.]