monger

1 of 2

noun

1
: broker, dealer
usually used in combination
alemonger
2
: a person who attempts to stir up or spread something that is usually petty or discreditable
usually used in combination
warmonger

monger

2 of 2

verb

mongered; mongering ˈməŋ-g(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce monger (audio)
ˈmäŋ-

Did you know?

Peddlers (especially fish merchants) have been called mongers for more than 1000 years. The term traces to a Latin noun meaning "trader." Initially, it was an honorable term, but every profession has its bad apples, and the snake-oil salesmen of the bunch gave monger a bad reputation. By the middle of the 16th century, the term often implied that a merchant was dishonorable and contemptible. Nowadays, monger is typically appended to another word to identify a trader of a particular type. Some combinations (such as fishmonger) suggest respectable commerce, whereas others (such as rumormonger, scandalmonger, and hypemonger) imply that a person is trading or spreading information in a careless or deceptive manner.

Examples of monger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Only a few such as Liz Cheney dissented — and they were damned as forever-war–mongers. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 9 Sep. 2024 Gossip mongers ate up the near-naked photos of the lead actors on set, the co-stars’ flirty interviews and online banter, and their exchanges of intimate looks during promotional appearances. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Verb
Fear mongering wasn’t the only Trump tactic at the Gastonia rally. Eric Cortellessa / Gastonia, TIME, 3 Nov. 2024 Culturally, the combination of blatant racist fear mongering and the anti-woke movement has delivered their message for the future. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for monger 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English mongere, from Old English mangere, from Latin mangon-, mango, of Greek origin; akin to Greek manganon charm, philter

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of monger was before the 12th century

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Dictionary Entries Near monger

Cite this Entry

“Monger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monger. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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