Etymograph

English

mercer

Mercer comes from Anglo-Norman marcer, from Latin merx ‘merchandise, commodity’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *merks.

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*merksreconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmerx‘merchandise, commodity’
  3. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400marcer
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1600mercer

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*merksreconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmerx‘merchandise, commodity’
  3. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400marcer
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1600mercer

Earliest quotation: 1600, Cynthias Reuels, or The Fountayne of Selfe-Loue. […]: “... Acolastus-Polypragmon-Asotus, is here present (by the help of…”

Linked words

through Latin merx ‘merchandise, commodity’

market, commercial, commerce, merchant, merchandise, mercy, mercantile, merci, mercantilism, 18 more

Today it means

noun A merchant dealing in fabrics and textiles, especially silks and other fine cloths.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Italic *merks / mercer

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