What does mercantile mean?
Word: Mercantile
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Mercantile means to do with trade and the buying and selling of goods.
Synonyms: trading
How do you spell mercantile?
Syllables: mer - can - tile
Tricky part: The vowel in the middle beat is an a, but it is weak in speech and pupils often write mercentile.
Watch out for: mercentile, mercintile
Memory tip: Think of a merchant: the a in merchant is the a you need in the middle here.
Mercantile in a sentence
Example 1: Kochi has a long mercantile past, shaped by the spice trade.
Example 2: Her family's mercantile firm has shipped tea from Kolkata for three generations.
Example 3: The town's mercantile families built the grand houses near the harbour.
Fun Fact
Through Italian the word goes back to a Latin verb meaning to trade, the same source that gave English market and merchant.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
mercant_l_
a) e, e
b) i, e
c) y, e
d) i, a
Show answer
b) i, e. The long i sound is spelt with a plain i, closed off by a silent e.
Mingle-Mangle
The sentence contains a jumbled word. Choose the word it hides:
Surat grew rich as a tnealcmrie city, with ships bringing silk and spices to its port.
a) merchandise
b) mechanical
c) mercantile
d) masculine
Show answer
c) mercantile. Ten letters with a t and no h, d, s or u leave one word.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word mercantile as used in the sentence:
Mumbai's old mercantile district still smells of spices and cloth.
a) commercial
b) residential
c) scenic
d) rural
Show answer
a) commercial. A district full of traders is a commercial one.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. mercantile 2. wholesail 3. comodity 4. entrepreneer
a) selling goods in large amounts to shops
b) a product that is bought and sold
c) a person who starts a new business
d) linked with merchants and their dealings
Show answer
d) linked with merchants and their dealings. Commodity has a double m, wholesale ends in sale, and entrepreneur ends in eur.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which people would a mercantile bank mainly serve?
a) pupils needing extra lessons
b) tourists seeking a good hotel
c) traders shipping goods abroad
d) runners training for a race
Show answer
c) traders shipping goods abroad
2. A port has a long mercantile history. What was it known for?
a) its ships and goods for sale
b) its peaceful mountain views
c) its fine schools and libraries
d) its great football stadium
Show answer
a) its ships and goods for sale
