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Definition of merchantman

merchantman

/ˈmɝːtʃəntmən/
mer · chant · man
Plural:merchantmen
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merchantman Lexical Profile

merchantman Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A ship or vessel engaged in commercial trade or the transportation of goods, as distinguished from a naval warship.

Example

"During the 18th century, heavily armed merchantmen were often used to transport valuable cargo across the Atlantic."

2

A man who is a merchant or trader (chiefly historical).

Example

"The wealthy merchantman displayed his fine imported silks in the bustling medieval market."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for merchantman
Antonyms
View all antonyms for merchantman

Word Nuance & Usage

In nautical terminology, the suffix '-man' was historically used to denote specific types of ships rather than people, similar to the construction of 'man-of-war' or 'Indiaman'.

• Nearby Words

merchandiser
merchandising
merchant
merchantman
merciful
mercifully
mercifulness

Word Origin & Etymology

Late Middle English, formed by combining 'merchant' (trader) with 'man' (which in maritime contexts frequently referred to a vessel).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Merchantman. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/merchantman
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