merced: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very low (literary/archaic/technical)Literary, archaic, historical, theological, or found in legal Spanish contexts.
Quick answer
What does “merced” mean?
Reward, payment, recompense, or wages.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Reward, payment, recompense, or wages.
A payment given in exchange for services rendered; can also imply a divine reward or grace in religious contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference as the word is virtually unused in modern English. In contexts where it appears, it is treated identically.
Connotations
In both varieties, if used, it carries a literary, archaic, or foreign connotation.
Frequency
Effectively zero frequency in standard usage for both.
Grammar
How to Use “merced” in a Sentence
receive merced (for something)work for mercedgive merced to someoneVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used in modern business English.
Academic
May appear in historical or theological texts discussing medieval concepts of labour and divine grace.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
May appear as a proper noun in geographical or institutional contexts (e.g., 'Merced County').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “merced”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “merced”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “merced”
- Using it in modern contexts where 'pay', 'reward', or 'wages' is appropriate.
- Mispronouncing it as /mɜːsˈiːd/ like the car brand.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare and considered archaic or literary.
As a proper noun, most frequently in the name 'University of California, Merced' or 'Merced River'.
No, in English it is only attested as a noun.
It enters English from Old French 'mercit', ultimately from Latin 'merces, mercedis' meaning reward, wages, or price.
Reward, payment, recompense, or wages.
Merced is usually literary, archaic, historical, theological, or found in legal spanish contexts. in register.
Merced: in British English it is pronounced /mɜːˈsed/ or /ˈmɜː.sɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /mərˈsed/ or /ˈmɝ.sɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at the merced of (archaic variant of 'at the mercy of')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'mercy' and 'pay' – 'merced' is an archaic word for a merciful or just payment.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIVINE REWARD IS PAYMENT (e.g., 'heavenly merced').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'merced' most likely to be found?