'Merchant ship' definitions:

Definition of 'merchant ship'

From: WordNet
noun
A cargo ship; "they did much of their overseas trade in foreign bottoms" [syn: bottom, freighter, merchantman, merchant ship]

Definition of 'Merchant ship'

From: GCIDE
  • Merchant \Mer"chant\, a. Of, pertaining to, or employed in, trade or merchandise; as, the merchant service. [1913 Webster]
  • Merchant bar, Merchant iron or Merchant steel, certain common sizes of wrought iron and steel bars.
  • Merchant service or Merchant marine, the mercantile marine of a country. --Am. Cyc.
  • Merchant ship, a ship employed in commerce.
  • Merchant tailor, a tailor who keeps and sells materials for the garments which he makes. [1913 Webster]