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law merchant
noun
plural laws merchant
: the legal rules formerly applied to cases arising in commercial transactions
Examples of law merchant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The rules governing commerce between nations, themselves derived from the law merchant, are a perfect example of non-governmental law.
—Alexander William Salter, National Review, 6 Nov. 2020
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Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of law merchant was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near law merchant
Cite this Entry
“Law merchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/law%20merchant. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Legal Definition
law merchant
noun
: the commercial rules developed under English common law that influenced modern commercial law and that are referred to as supplementing rules set down in the Uniform Commercial Code and in state codes
More from Merriam-Webster on law merchant
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about law merchant
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