Merchants

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈmɝt͡ʃənts/

Definitions

1. Agents who engage in the buying, selling, or trading of various products or services for financial benefit
2. Individuals or companies involved in the sale of goods to consumers or other businesses
3. Persons or entities that trade in products as part of commercial activity

Etymology: The Latin root behind "merchant" is "merx", meaning goods or merchandise, and the verb "mercor" meant to trade, deal, or sell. From it came "mercans", a trader, which the Normans carried into Anglo-Norman as "marchaunt". English borrowed that form in the Middle Ages, and the spelling shifted over time until the modern "merchant" emerged, with the "ch" sound still preserving the French influence. The word is plural here, so "merchants" is simply the plural of "merchant", a noun for those who buy and sell goods.

Synonyms: traders, vendors, sellers