Where does “merc” come from?
merc (English) comes from English mercenary, from Latin mercenarius, from Latin merces, from Latin merx, from Proto-Italic *merks.
merc (English): A mercenary
Definitions
- A mercenary
Ancestry of “merc”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mercenary | One motivated by gain, especially monetary; A... |
| 2 | Latin | mercenarius | hired for pay; mercenary |
| 3 | Latin | merces | pay, wages, reward; rent; bribe |
| 4 | Latin | merx | merchandise, commodity; goods, wares |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | *merks | — |