mercenary
mer·cen·ary [mercenary mercenaries] noun, adjective BrE [ˈmɜːsənəri] NAmE [ˈmɜːrsəneri]
noun (pl. mer·cen·aries)
a soldier who will fight for any country or group that offers payment
•foreign mercenaries
•mercenary soldiers
Word Origin:
late Middle English (as a noun): from Latin mercenarius ‘hireling’, from merces, merced- ‘reward’.
Example Bank:
•Six years ago, he became a mercenary for a private military corporation.
•a small army of mercenaries
•Swiss pikemen fought as mercenaries in the armies of many European states.
adjective (disapproving)
only interested in making or getting money
•a mercenary society/attitude
•She's interested in him for purely mercenary reasons.
Word Origin:
late Middle English (as a noun): from Latin mercenarius ‘hireling’, from merces, merced- ‘reward’.
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