| mercenary | 1. Acting for reward; serving for pay; paid; hired; hireling; venal; as, mercenary soldiers. 2. Hence: Moved by considerations of pay or profit; greedy of gain; sordid; selfish. "For God forbid I should my papers blot With mercenary lines, with servile pen." (Daniel) Synonym: See Venal. Origin: OE. Mercenarie, F. Mercenaire, fr. L. Mercenarius, fr. Merces wages, reward. See Mercy. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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