Mer"ce*na*ry (?), a. [OE. mercenarie, F. mercenaire, fr. L. mercenarius, fr. merces wages, reward. See Mercy.]
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.
Shak.
For God forbid I should my papers blot
With mercenary lines, with servile pen.
Daniel.
Syn. -- See Venal.
© Webster 1913.
Mer"ce*na*ry (?), n.; pl. Mercenaries ().
One who is hired; a hireling; especially, a soldier hired into foreign service.
Milman.
© Webster 1913.