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Rebel vs Mercenary - What's the difference?

rebel | mercenary |

As nouns the difference between rebel and mercenary

is that rebel is a person who resists an established authority, often violently while mercenary is a person employed to fight in an armed conflict who is not a member of the state or military group for which they are fighting and whose prime or sole motivation is private gain.

As a verb rebel

is to resist or become defiant toward an authority.

As an adjective mercenary is

motivated by private gain.

rebel

English

(wikipedia rebel)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) rebelle, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A person who resists an established authority, often violently.
    • Related terms
    * rebellion * rebellious

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) rebeller, from (etyl) . See also (l).

    Verb

    (rebell)
  • To resist or become defiant toward an authority.
    • Synonyms
    * defy
    Antonyms
    * obey * submit

    mercenary

    English

    (wikipedia mercenary)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Motivated by private gain.
  • * Dryden
    • For God forbid I should my papers blot / With mercenary lines, with servile pen.

    Synonyms

    * (motivated by private gain) greedy, venal

    Noun

    (mercenaries)
  • A person employed to fight in an armed conflict who is not a member of the state or military group for which they are fighting and whose prime or sole motivation is private gain.

    • Synonyms

    * See

    See also

    * soldier