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monger

[muhng-ger, mong-]
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noun
  1. a person who is involved with something in a petty or contemptible way (usually used in combination): a gossipmonger.
  2. Chiefly British. a dealer in or trader of a commodity (usually used in combination): fishmonger;cheesemonger.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to sell; hawk.
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Origin of monger

before 1000; Middle English (noun); Old English mangere, equivalent to mang(ian) “to trade, act as a monger” (≪ Latin mangō “salesman”) + -ere -er1; cognate with Old Norse, Old High German mangari
Related formsmon·ger·ing, noun, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for monger

Historical Examples

  • Further, the native who gave all the information to Mr. Monger was one of our party.

    Explorations in Australia

    John Forrest

  • On reaching them Mr. Monger found he had dropped his revolver.

  • The phrase might have holes picked in it by a composition-master or -monger.

  • I therefore sent Mr. Monger back with instructions to bring the party to this spot, called Cartubing.

  • At my request they went and brought us Mr. Monger's revolver, which they stated they had been warming near the fire!

British Dictionary definitions for monger

monger

noun
  1. (in combination except in archaic use) a trader or dealerironmonger
  2. (in combination) a promoter of something unpleasantwarmonger
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Derived Formsmongering, noun, adjective

Word Origin

Old English mangere, ultimately from Latin mangō dealer; compare Old High German mangari
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for monger

n.

Old English mangere "merchant, trader, broker," from mangian "to traffic, trade," from Proto-Germanic *mangojan (cf. Old Saxon mangon, Old Norse mangri), from Latin mango (genitive mangonis) "dealer, trader, slave-dealer," from a noun derivative of Greek manganon "contrivance, means of enchantment," from PIE root *mang- "to embellish, dress, trim." Used in comb. form in English since at least 12c.; since 16c. chiefly with overtones of petty and disreputable.

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v.

1928, from monger (v.). Not considered to be from Old English mangian. Related: Mongered; mongering (1846).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper