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mercer

mercer

1 9.9
A person who sells fine cloth, especially silk
  • noun
  • /ˈmɜːrsər/
  • Archaic
: mercader de telas
  • In the market, the mercer showcased a beautiful selection of embroidered textiles from around the world.

Examples

  • The mercer provided a stunning array of silks and fine fabrics for the designer's latest collection.

  • Over the many years Sonny Rollins has been an outstanding musician, he has recorded numerous Mercer songs.

    Academic text (2014)
  • Indeed, it is more difficult to find jazz musicians who have not played a Mercer tune than those who have.

    Academic text (2014)
  • Both Armstrong and Coltrane could find jazz meaning in Mercer's lyrics, as could many in between.

    Academic text (2014)
  • At the same time, Mr. Hershe Baum, the mercer, walks into Lwowska and heads for the market square.

    Academic text (2007)
  • She consulted the mercer to find the highest quality fabric for her dressmaking project.

Synonyms

clothier
vsmercer
2 6.1

A maker or seller of clothes

sells mainly fine fabrics and textiles rather than ready-made clothes

Surface Forms

mercer singular
mercers plural

Etymology

Mercer comes from the old Latin word merx, meaning 'goods', and is the same root as merchant and merchandise. A helpful way to remember it is to think of a mercer as a seller of silks and fine fabrics, so the root meaning 'goods' explains why it means a dealer in textiles.