Monger
/ˈmʌŋ.ɡər/
A monger is someone who sells goods or promotes a harmful idea, often with negative connotations, especially in compounds like fishmonger or fearmonger.
Examples
- The pundit made a career out of mongering outrage.
- They dismissed the speaker as a scaremonger with no real evidence.
- The monger sold fresh herbs at the market every Saturday.
- He was accused of being a monger of fear, spreading rumors to gain power.
- Used car mongers sometimes exaggerate the condition of vehicles.
Meanings
Derived from the Old English word mangian, meaning 'to trade or barter', which came from the Proto-Germanic mangōn. The suffix -er denotes a person who performs an action. Over time, monger evolved into a standalone noun referring to someone who deals in a specific commodity, often with a negative connotation.
Examples
- The monger sold fresh herbs at the market every Saturday.
- He was accused of being a monger of fear, spreading rumors to gain power.
- The local fish mongers gathered at dawn to sell their catch.
- She denounced the politician as a mongering opportunist.
- Used car mongers sometimes exaggerate the condition of vehicles.
This figurative use developed from the commercial meaning. By the 17th century, the pattern of compounding monger with abstract nouns began, such as 'fearmonger' and 'warmonger'. These uses personify the spread of intangible but harmful things, reflecting societal criticism of those who exploit emotions or conflicts for personal gain.
Examples
- The media outlet was accused of mongering panic during the crisis.
- He was labeled a warmonger for pushing aggressive foreign policies.
- Critics claimed the ad was fearmongering to influence voters.
- The pundit made a career out of mongering outrage.
- They dismissed the speaker as a scaremonger with no real evidence.