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Monger
Definitions
- 1 A surname.
- 1 Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word.; A dealer or trader in a specific commodity.
"[S]ometime one rich munger or other, buying up a commoditie, and bringing it vvholly into his ovvne hands for to have the monopolie of it, raiſeth the market, and enhaunceth the price: […]"
- 2 A small seagoing vessel used for fishing. obsolete, transitive
"[C]erteyne Fyſhermen that go a trawlyng for fyſhe in Catches or mongers, and dradgies for Oyſters about the ſandes, […]"
- 3 someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold wordnet
- 4 Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word.; A person promoting something, especially an undesirable thing. figuratively
"There is a man haunts the Forreſt, that abuſes our yong plants vvith caruing Roſalinde on their barkes; hangs Oades vpon Hauthornes, and Elegies on brambles; all (forſooth) defying the name of Roſalinde. If I could meet that Fancie-monger, I vvould giue him ſome good counſel, for he ſeemes to have the Quotidian of Loue vpon him."
- 5 Clipping of whoremonger (“a frequent customer of whores”). abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, obsolete
"Here vvas no ſubtle device to get a VVench. / This Chanon [i.e., canon, member of the clergy] has a brave pate of his ovvn! / A ſhaven pate! and a right monger, y' vaith!"
- 1 To deal in, peddle, or sell (something). transitive
"There were Mongols hawking sheepskins and Chinese vending calendars and pocket calculators, North Koreans flogging jewelry and Vietnamese mongering shirts and leather jackets."
- 2 sell or offer for sale from place to place wordnet
- 3 To promote (something, especially an undesirable thing); to peddle. figuratively, transitive
"She [Grace Kelly] was beautiful and elegant but, above all, good. […] Not even Hedda Hopper could monger scandal in her regard."
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English mongere, mangere (“dealer, merchant, trader”), from Old English mangere (“dealer, merchant, trader”), from Proto-West Germanic *mangārī (“dealer, merchant, monger”), from Latin mangō (“dealer, trader”) + Proto-West Germanic *-ārī (suffix forming agent nouns, especially denoting occupations). The further etymology of mangō is uncertain; the following possibilities have been suggested: * From Ancient Greek μαγγανεύω (manganeúō, “to use charms or philtres; to cheat, play tricks; to dress food artificially to make it appear better”), from μάγγᾰνον (mángănon, “means of bewitching, charm, philtre”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *meng- (“to dress, embellish, trim”); or from Arabic ن ج ل (n j l, root relating to pouring out or thrusting)) + -εύω (-eúō, suffix forming denominative verbs of activity or condition). * From Latin *manicō, *manigō (“deal, trade; to handle, manage (?)”), from manus (“hand”); further etymology uncertain, possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- (“to beckon, signal”), or *mon-u-. The verb is either derived from the noun, or is a back-formation from mongering (adjective or noun).
The noun is derived from Middle English mongere, mangere (“dealer, merchant, trader”), from Old English mangere (“dealer, merchant, trader”), from Proto-West Germanic *mangārī (“dealer, merchant, monger”), from Latin mangō (“dealer, trader”) + Proto-West Germanic *-ārī (suffix forming agent nouns, especially denoting occupations). The further etymology of mangō is uncertain; the following possibilities have been suggested: * From Ancient Greek μαγγανεύω (manganeúō, “to use charms or philtres; to cheat, play tricks; to dress food artificially to make it appear better”), from μάγγᾰνον (mángănon, “means of bewitching, charm, philtre”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *meng- (“to dress, embellish, trim”); or from Arabic ن ج ل (n j l, root relating to pouring out or thrusting)) + -εύω (-eúō, suffix forming denominative verbs of activity or condition). * From Latin *manicō, *manigō (“deal, trade; to handle, manage (?)”), from manus (“hand”); further etymology uncertain, possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- (“to beckon, signal”), or *mon-u-. The verb is either derived from the noun, or is a back-formation from mongering (adjective or noun).
Origin uncertain, possibly from monger (“dealer or trader in a specific commodity”) (etymology 1); or related to Middle English mangbot (“type of fishing boat used on the Thames”).
See also for "monger"
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