How Do You Spell MERCENARIES?

Pronunciation: [mˈɜːsənəɹiz] (IPA)

The word "Mercenaries" is spelled with three syllables, with the stress placed on the second syllable, "cen". It is transcribed phonetically as /ˈmɜːsəneriz/. The first syllable starts with the "m" sound, followed by the "er" sound, pronounced as "ur". The second syllable is pronounced as "sen", with the "s" sound followed by the "e" sound and then the "n" sound. The final syllable ends with the "iz" sound. This word refers to soldiers who fight for financial gain, typically hired by a government or other organization.

MERCENARIES Meaning and Definition

1. Mercenaries are individuals who offer their services as fighters or soldiers in exchange for monetary compensation. These individuals are not aligned with any specific government or cause but instead choose to lend their skills and expertise to whomever can afford to pay them. They are essentially hired guns who may be employed by a variety of entities, including governments, rebel groups, private companies, or wealthy individuals.

   The motivation behind mercenaries is largely driven by financial gain, rather than ideological or nationalistic reasons. They are not bound by loyalty to any particular country or cause, and their allegiance can shift depending on the best offer or opportunity for personal gain. As such, mercenaries often undertake dangerous and high-risk missions that regular military personnel might find too risky or politically sensitive.

   Historically, mercenaries have been used in numerous conflicts throughout the world, with notable examples including Ancient Rome's use of foreign soldiers, the Swiss mercenaries hired during the Renaissance and early modern periods, and the private military contractors employed during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

   The legality of employing mercenaries can vary depending on international law and national legislation. Some countries prohibit the use of mercenaries, considering them unlawful combatants, while others may permit their use under certain conditions. While the term "mercenary" often carries negative connotations, there are instances where mercenaries have been employed for legitimate purposes, such as providing security services in conflict zones or protecting valuable assets in regions with a weak government presence.

Top Common Misspellings for MERCENARIES *

• mercinaries 56.4102564%
• mercanaries 15.3846153%
• mecenaries 5.1282051%
• merceneries 5.1282051%
• mercenairies 5.1282051%
• mercinairies 5.1282051%
• mersonaries 5.1282051%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for MERCENARIES

• mercenarys
• mercenaires
• mercernaries
• merecenaries
• mercineries
• mercennaria
• mercenarie
• mwercenaries
• merceenaries
• merchentries
• Mercenarion
• Merceneryes

Etymology of MERCENARIES

The word "mercenary" is derived from the Latin term "mercenarius", which means "a hireling" or "a hired soldier". It is formed from the Latin word "merces", meaning "wages" or "payment". In ancient Rome, "mercenarii" referred to soldiers who served in the Roman army for pay, rather than out of patriotism or duty. Over time, the word "mercenary" has come to encompass any professional soldier or fighter who is motivated primarily by financial gain rather than loyalty to a specific cause or nation.