merchant of death

American  

noun

1. a company, nation, or person that sells military arms on the international market, usually to the highest bidder and without scruple or regard for political ramifications.

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Etymology

Origin of merchant of death

Phrase popularized by the book Merchants of Death (1934) by U.S. writers Helmut C. Engelbrecht (1895–1939) and Frank C. Hanighen (1899–1964)

Example Sentences

The man whose nickname was “the merchant of death” nodded his greeting and shook her hand.

From Slate

The U.S., for instance, gave up Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout — his nickname is “The Merchant of Death” — in a swap with Moscow that brought home basketball star Brittney Griner, the most prominent American held abroad.

From Seattle Times

Viktor Bout, once dubbed "the merchant of death" by the United States, served 10 years of a 25-year sentence in U.S. prisons on arms dealing charges until his release in the prisoner exchange with Griner, an Olympic gold medallist.

From Reuters

Among his achievements was running the overseas sting that in 2008 nabbed Russia’s notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout, aka “The Merchant of Death.”

From Seattle Times

She was freed as part of a prisoner exchange in December; Viktor Bout, an arms dealer nicknamed the Merchant of Death, was sent back to Russia.

From New York Times