mercenary

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a person hired to fight for another country than their own
  2. adjective marked by materialism
  3. adjective serving for wages in a foreign army

Etymology

From Middle English mercenarye (“someone paid to work, hireling”), from Latin mercēnārius (“hired for money”), from mercēs (“reward, wages, price”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

soldier of fortune

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