Definition Definition

mercenary - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'mercenary' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Mercenary [ a.]
- Acting for reward; serving for pay; paid; hired; hireling; venal; as, mercenary soldiers.
- Hence: Moved by considerations of pay or profit; greedy of gain; sordid; selfish.
2 . Mercenary [ n.]
- One who is hired; a hireling; especially, a soldier hired into foreign service.

Meaning of 'mercenary' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . mercenary [ s]
Meaning (1):
- profit oriented
Example in sentence:
  • a commercial book;
  • a mercenary enterprise;
  • a moneymaking business;
  • preached a mercantile and militant patriotism
Meaning (2):
- serving for wages in a foreign army
Example in sentence:
  • mercenary killers