*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of merch

Etymology tree Anglo-Norman marchaundisebor. Latin mercātus Vulgar Latin *mercātāntem Vulgar Latin *mercātāntem Old French marcheant Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Lati

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗
verb

To merchandise. · To provide proof.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Anglo-Norman marchaundisebor. Latin mercātus Vulgar Latin *mercātāntem Vulgar Latin *mercātāntem Old French marcheant Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin -itiader. Old French -ise Old French marcheandisebor. Middle English marchaundise English merchandiseclip. English merch Clipping of merchandise.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "merchandise<id:noun>",
        "tree": "1",
        "text": "+"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nAnglo-Norman marchaundisebor.\nLatin mercātus\nVulgar Latin *mercātāntem\nVulgar Latin *mercātāntem\nOld French marcheant\nProto-Indo-European *-(i)yós\nProto-Italic *-ijos\nProto-Italic *-ios\nOld Latin -ios\nLatin -ius\nLatin -ia\nLatin -itiader.\nOld French -ise\nOld French marcheandisebor.\nMiddle English marchaundise\nEnglish merchandiseclip.\nEnglish merch\n[Appendix:Glossary#clipping|Clipping]] of\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Anglo-Norman\", \"term\" : \"marchaundise\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"xno\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*mercātāntem\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"trade\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"mercātus\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Vulgar Latin\", \"term\" : \"*mercātāntem\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"la-vul\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Vulgar Latin\", \"term\" : \"*mercātans\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"la-vul\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"marcheant\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"abstract noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"suffix forming adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"suffix forming adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective suffix\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-ijos\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-(i)yós\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yós\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*-ios\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ios\", \"lang\" : \"itc-ola\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ius\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ia\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-itia\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"-ise\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"marcheandise\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"marchaundise\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"merchandise\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"clipping\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"merch\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"merch\">\nClipping of merchandise."
    },
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        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "merchandise<id:noun>",
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      },
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    }
  ],
  "links": [
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      "marchaundise#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "mercātus",
      "mercatus#Latin:_trade"
    ],
    [
      "*mercātāntem",
      "Reconstruction:Latin/mercatantem"
    ],
    [
      "*mercātāntem",
      "Reconstruction:Latin/mercatans"
    ],
    [
      "marcheant",
      "marcheant#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "*-(i)yós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yós"
    ],
    [
      "*-ios",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/-ios#Proto-Italic:_adjective_suffix"
    ],
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      "-ios",
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    ],
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      "-ius#Latin:_suffix_forming_adjectives"
    ],
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      "-ia#Latin:_abstract_noun"
    ],
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      "-itia",
      "-itia#Latin"
    ],
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      "-ise",
      "-ise#Old_French"
    ],
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      "marcheandise",
      "marcheandise#Old_French"
    ],
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    ],
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    ],
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      "merchandise",
      "merchandise#English:_noun"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To merchandise.",
        "To provide proof."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare",
        "slang"
      ],
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}

Unnumbered source etymology · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗
noun

goods which are or were offered or intended for sale. · goods connected with an entity whose primary activity is not the production or sale of such goods, such as a team, band, work of fiction, etc.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Anglo-Norman marchaundisebor. Latin mercātus Vulgar Latin *mercātāntem Vulgar Latin *mercātāntem Old French marcheant Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin -itiader. Old French -ise Old French marcheandisebor. Middle English marchaundise English merchandiseclip. English merch Clipping of merchandise.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
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    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "merchandise<id:noun>",
        "tree": "1",
        "text": "+"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nAnglo-Norman marchaundisebor.\nLatin mercātus\nVulgar Latin *mercātāntem\nVulgar Latin *mercātāntem\nOld French marcheant\nProto-Indo-European *-(i)yós\nProto-Italic *-ijos\nProto-Italic *-ios\nOld Latin -ios\nLatin -ius\nLatin -ia\nLatin -itiader.\nOld French -ise\nOld French marcheandisebor.\nMiddle English marchaundise\nEnglish merchandiseclip.\nEnglish merch\n[Appendix:Glossary#clipping|Clipping]] of\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Anglo-Norman\", \"term\" : \"marchaundise\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"xno\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*mercātāntem\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"trade\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"mercātus\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Vulgar Latin\", \"term\" : \"*mercātāntem\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"la-vul\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Vulgar Latin\", \"term\" : \"*mercātans\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"la-vul\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"marcheant\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"abstract noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"suffix forming adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"suffix forming adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective suffix\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-ijos\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-(i)yós\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yós\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*-ios\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ios\", \"lang\" : \"itc-ola\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ius\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ia\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-itia\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"-ise\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"marcheandise\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"marchaundise\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"merchandise\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"clipping\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"merch\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"merch\">\nClipping of merchandise."
    },
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        "2": ":clip",
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    }
  ],
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    ],
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    ],
    [
      "*mercātāntem",
      "Reconstruction:Latin/mercatantem"
    ],
    [
      "*mercātāntem",
      "Reconstruction:Latin/mercatans"
    ],
    [
      "marcheant",
      "marcheant#Old_French"
    ],
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      "*-(i)yós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yós"
    ],
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/-ios#Proto-Italic:_adjective_suffix"
    ],
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    ],
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    ],
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      "marcheandise#Old_French"
    ],
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    ],
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      "merchandise",
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    ],
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      "merchandise",
      "merchandise#English:_noun"
    ]
  ],
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    {
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "lang_code": "uk",
      "word": "мерч",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "merč"
    }
  ],
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    {
      "pos": "noun",
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        "goods which are or were offered or intended for sale.",
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        "informal",
        "uncountable",
        "especially"
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for merch →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
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Import run
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Permanent entry ID
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