mercader

merchant, trader

noun mehr-kah-DEHR Rare

Usage Note

Mercader is a somewhat archaic or literary word for a travelling merchant, distinguished from comerciante (a general trader) or vendedor (seller). It is the word used in classic Spanish literature — notably the title El mercader de Venecia (The Merchant of Venice) — and survives in historical or elevated registers. The feminine form is mercadera.

Examples

"El mercader vendía especias en el mercado medieval."

Natural Translation

The merchant sold spices at the medieval market.

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