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Glite Dictionary
merchant of death

merchant of death

1 9.5
A person who sells weapons to make money, often causing violence
  • noun
  • /ˈmɜːrʧənt əv dɛθ/
  • Offensive
translation icon : traficante de armas

This person may be a merchant of death, and yet I need to get that person to work with me to be on my side.

Examples

  • This person may be a merchant of death, and yet I need to get that person to work with me to be on my side.

    Julian Dorey

  • Most of all, he was determined to avoid Rolls-Royce being labeled a "merchant of death" for its wartime profits.

    Academic text (1997)

  • For her efforts, Carson has won many honors, but she has also been, and continues to be vilified by the public relations efforts of the "merchants of death" who peddle and promote persistent organic pollutants and have gone so far as to proclaim her a "mass murderer" who "preferred birds to people."

    Blog text (13)

  • The arms dealer was often referred to as a merchant of death due to his role in fueling conflicts around the globe.

  • Many non-governmental organizations work tirelessly to expose the activities of infamous merchants of death who profit from war.

  • In the documentary, they highlighted the actions of a notorious merchant of death who sold weapons to various warring factions.

Synonyms

gunrunner
vsmerchant of death
  • NSFW
5 8.2

A person who illegally brings and sells guns across borders

highlights profit and promoting conflict rather than transport methods
weaponeer
vsmerchant of death
9.9

A person who sells weapons, often illegally

focuses on profiting and promoting violence rather than just selling weapons

Antonyms

peacekeeper
6 4.1

A person who stops or calms arguments and makes people get along

disarmer
7.8

A person who opposes violence and wants people or countries to give up weapons

How Harmful

merchant of death
  • Offensive
1 9.5
profiteer
8 8.0

Surface Forms

merchant of death singular
merchants of death plural

Morphology

merchant + of + death

The components 'merchant' and 'death' give a clear clue — a seller associated with death — so learners can infer someone who profits from death-related business. However the phrase conventionally refers specifically to arms dealers or war profiteers, a metaphorical and culturally loaded sense that is not fully predictable from the words alone, making it partially but not completely transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Merchant of death creates a strong image: a merchant, meaning a seller, who trades in things that cause death, like guns, and so makes money from violence. That's why the phrase is used for people who 'make money by selling weapons'.