merchantman

noun

mer·​chant·​man ˈmər-chənt-mən How to pronounce merchantman (audio)
1
archaic : merchant
2
: a ship used in commerce

Examples of merchantman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These preyed upon American merchantmen who either payed tribute or showed forged British passes. Thomas Wendel, National Review, 4 July 2019 The Navy already has ships in the fleet that are former merchantmen. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 10 Jan. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of merchantman was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near merchantman

Cite this Entry

“Merchantman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/merchantman. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

merchantman

noun
mer·​chant·​man ˈmər-chənt-mən How to pronounce merchantman (audio)
: a ship used in trade

More from Merriam-Webster on merchantman

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!