# Definition of a Monger **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564 "2012-02-11T23:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/1 "2012-02-11T23:52:58Z")
If someone describes someone else as a monger, with no other context, what is your first assumption? Poll to follow, with answers from Urbandictionary and other sources. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/2 "2012-02-12T00:00:32Z")
I… wouldn’t think it meant anything, because to me “monger” is just part of a word, like “ironmonger” or “whoremonger” or “warmonger”. ---
**Author:** ![Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christopher_Robin_Davies)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/3 "2012-02-12T00:02:12Z")
A monger is someone who sells a given good. Usually it is the second half of a word and the first half specifies the word. I think originally a whoremonger meant a pimp but over time the meaning got confused so now it means a john. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/4 "2012-02-12T00:06:52Z")
A monger is a purveyor of goods. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/5 "2012-02-12T00:15:26Z")
I would assume the person I was speaking to has been in a coma since 1930, and just woke up. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/6 "2012-02-12T00:16:08Z")
Someone who “sells” something, with sells in scare quotes because they might not be trying to actually make money out of it. Like hatemonger. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/7 "2012-02-12T00:21:38Z")
“One who mongs.” ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/8 "2012-02-12T00:22:39Z")
Depends how it’s pronounced. To me, MUN-ger is someone who sells stuff. MON-ger would be a riff on an insulting word derived from Down syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/9 "2012-02-12T00:29:22Z")
I’d never heard the Down Syndrome allusion… I only take it as a “merchant,” but with a slightly negative connotation. It implies a mild degree of unscrupulous business practices. The fish the fishmonger vends might not be the very freshest… ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/10 "2012-02-12T04:15:58Z")
I’ve never heard it used on its own. I have heard it used in compounds like fishmonger, ironmonger etc. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/11 "2012-02-12T09:45:17Z")
I would say: \*I’m \*not a monger, _you’re_ a monger! Then I would stick out my tongue. And for the rest of the day whenever I saw that person I’d hiss _monger_. I have only ever heard it as in someone who sells a certain goods. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/12 "2012-02-12T20:04:54Z")
I had to choose “Something else.” Backforming from words like “fishmonger” and “warmonger,” I would assume a “monger” to be someone who tries to sell either merchandise or an idea. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/13 "2012-02-12T20:17:13Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > I had to choose “Something else.” Backforming from words like “fishmonger” and “warmonger,” I would assume a “monger” to be someone who tries to sell either merchandise or an idea. That’s awfully literal. ---
**Author:** ![Brighter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@Brighter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brighter)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/14 "2012-02-12T20:23:58Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > If someone describes someone else as a monger, with no other context, what is your first assumption? My first assumption is that: it must be Mon(day) and the person who is being described is a misspelled ger(man). This is the definition of a Monger. In case someone is being descibed more ordinarily as ‘monger’, without capital M, my assumption would be ‘double misspelling’. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/15 "2012-02-12T20:26:05Z")
Someone who trades in something, be it fish or smut. ---
**Author:** ![Brighter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@Brighter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brighter)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/16 "2012-02-12T20:28:26Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > I would assume a “monger” to be someone who tries to sell either merchandise or an idea. No no no! The idea I wish to sell about monger contradicts your thesis because I’m not German! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Brighter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@Brighter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brighter)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/17 "2012-02-12T20:29:51Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > smut Very interesting word! ‘Smut’. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/18 "2012-02-12T21:06:27Z")
“Monger” is not a word. I’d assume the speaker wasn’t very good with English. ---
**Author:** ![Brighter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@Brighter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brighter)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/19 "2012-02-12T21:15:02Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > “Monger” is not a word. You just wrote it! 😃 ‘Monger’ is a world! 😃 > [@RickJay](#): > > I’d assume the speaker wasn’t very good with English. aww! /I’m not that bad/ I had loads of fun tonight! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christopher_Robin_Davies)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564/20 "2012-02-12T21:16:22Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > “Monger” is not a word. I’d assume the speaker wasn’t very good with English. I am sorry but “monger” is a word. Put it in google to be sure. > **[Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&complete=0&site=webhp&q=define%3A%2Bmonger&btnG=Search)** PS: How do I put a link in a post so that it’s just the word instead of the webpage address? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-monger/612564.md?page=2)