mercantile — [ mɛrkɑ̃til ] adj. • 1551; mot it., de mercante « marchand » 1 ♦ Vx Commercial. Spécialt Système mercantile. ⇒ mercantilisme. 2 ♦ (fin XVIIIe) Mod. Digne d un commerçant cupide, d un profiteur. « Sans que jamais rien de vénal et de mercantile ose … Encyclopédie Universelle
Mercantile — Mer can*tile (?; 277), a. [F. mercantile, It. mercantile, fr. L. mercans, antis, p. pr. of mercari to traffic. See {Merchant}.] Of or pertaining to merchants, or the business of merchants; having to do with trade, or the buying and selling of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
mercantile — me‧rcan‧tile [ˈmɜːkəntaɪl ǁ ˈmɜːrkəntiːl, taɪl] adjective [only before a noun] COMMERCE concerned with trade: • Tree crops such as coconuts became increasingly important in the mercantile economy into which the islanders were drawn. • In some… … Financial and business terms
mercantile — (adj.) 1640s, from Fr. mercantile (17c.), from It. mercantile, from M.L. mercantile, from L. mercantem (nom. mercans) a merchant, also trading, prp. of mercari to trade, from merx (see MARKET (Cf. market) (n.)). Mercantile system first appears in … Etymology dictionary
mercantile — [der. di mercante ]. ■ agg. 1. a. [che ha attinenza col commercio o serve al commercio: diritto m. ; porto m. ] ▶◀ commerciale. b. (marin.) [di nave e sim., destinato al trasporto di merci e passeggeri: flotta m. ] ◀▶ militare. 2. (fig., spreg.) … Enciclopedia Italiana
mercantile — *commercial … New Dictionary of Synonyms
mercantile — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ relating to trade or commerce. ORIGIN from Italian mercante merchant … English terms dictionary
mercantile — [mʉr′kən tīl΄, mʉr′kəntil, mʉr′kəntēl΄] adj. [Fr < It < mercante, merchant < L mercans, prp. of mercari: see MERCHANT] 1. of or characteristic of merchants or trade; commercial 2. of mercantilism … English World dictionary
mercantile — mer·can·tì·le agg., s.m. CO 1. agg., relativo o destinato al commercio: codice mercantile; traffico mercantile, porto mercantile Sinonimi: commerciale. 2. agg., di, da mercante: vita mercantile, spirito mercantile | spreg., mercantesco 3. agg.,… … Dizionario italiano
mercantile — (mèr kan ti l ) adj. 1° Qui a rapport au commerce, qui se livre au commerce. • Il faut convenir que la littérature, car c est ainsi que cela s appelle, a beaucoup gagné du côté des spéculations mercantiles, LAHARPE Corresp. t. IV, p. 210.… … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
