mercantile

adjective mer-kahn-TEE-leh Rare

Origin: From Medieval Latin mercantilis, from mercans (trading).

Also means

commercial

Usage Note

Mercantile is an invariable adjective (same for masculine and feminine): marina mercantile ('merchant navy'), diritto mercantile ('commercial law'), flotta mercantile ('merchant fleet'). It is a formal and slightly archaic term; in everyday commercial contexts, commerciale is more common. The related noun is mercante ('merchant').

Examples

"La marina mercantile trasporta la maggior parte delle merci."

Natural Translation

The merchant navy transports most of the goods.

Literal Translation

The navy mercantile transports the greater part of-the goods.

Free starter pack

Building your Italian vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Buongiorno, Ciao or Salve? Italian Greetings Made Easy

When in doubt, say salve and mirror the reply. Here's how to pick between buongiorno, buonasera, ciao and salve so your Italian greetings never sound rude.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Hand Gestures: Meanings & When to Use

Italian hand gestures decoded: what the pinched fingers, cheek screw, and chin flick mean, which ones are safe to use, and the one gesture to never make.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Avere Fame: Why Italians "Have" Hunger, Not "Are"

In Italian you say Ho fame (I have hunger), never sono fame. Learn the avere + noun rule for fame, freddo, paura, age, and the sono caldo trap to avoid.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Articles: Il, Lo, La, I, Gli, Le Explained

Italian has seven words for 'the' — il, lo, la, i, gli, le — but it's two questions, not seven cases. Master gender, sound, and the lo/gli rule fast.

June 5, 2026 7 min read