mercer

[ mur-ser ]

nounChiefly British.
  1. a dealer in textile fabrics; dry-goods merchant.

Origin of mercer

1
1150–1200; Middle English <Anglo-French; Old French mercier merchant, equivalent to merz merchandise (<Latin merx, accusative mercem) + -ier-ier2; see -er2

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How to use mercer in a sentence

  • The Drapers were maintaining their school and schoolmaster in 1492; their almshouses were only rivalled by those of the Mercers.

  • The royal recognition of the Mercers in the next year completed the list of Shrewsbury companies erected before the 16th century.

  • In 1798 the Mercers voted £100 annually to the government “during the continuance of the war.”

  • There is a lofty room on the east side of the porch, which was formerly the chapel of the Mercers Company.

    Warwickshire | Clive Holland
  • Farther west the goldsmiths stood together, and then the mercers.

    London | Walter Besant

British Dictionary definitions for mercer (1 of 2)

mercer

/ (ˈmɜːsə) /


noun
  1. British a dealer in textile fabrics and fine cloth

Origin of mercer

1
C13: from Old French mercier dealer, from Vulgar Latin merciārius (unattested), from Latin merx goods, wares

Derived forms of mercer

  • mercery, noun

British Dictionary definitions for Mercer (2 of 2)

Mercer

/ (ˈmɜːsə) /


noun
  1. Johnny, full name John Herndon Mercer. 1909–76, US popular songwriter and singer. His most popular songs include "Blues in the Night" (1941) and "Moon River" (1961)

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