Mer″ce‐na‐ry (?), a. [OE. mercenarie, F. mercenaire, fr. L. mercenarius, fr. merces wages, reward. See Mercy.] 1. Acting for reward; serving for pay; paid; hired; hireling; venal; as, mercenary soldiers.
2. Hence: Moved by considerations of pay or profit; greedy of gain; sordid; selfish. Shak.
For God forbid I should my papers blot
With mercenary lines, with servile pen. Daniel.
Syn. — See Venal.