1. a mercenary; a soldier hired to fight for a foreign country or cause
Usage: informal; often used in military or gaming contexts

Examples

• The private military company hired mercs to protect the facility.
• In the video game, you can recruit mercs to join your squad.
• He worked as a merc for several years before returning home.
• The mercs were paid well for their dangerous assignment.
• She didn't trust the mercs because they had no loyalty to the cause.