The term mercenary is best defined as what?

• A. A professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army
• B. A person who travels for money
• C. Working or acting only for money or other reward
• D. A soldier who fights for a cause

Answer: (C)

Money-driven service defines a mercenary. The key idea is that a mercenary acts primarily for money or other rewards, rather than out of loyalty or belief in a cause. This motive sets the term apart from other possibilities. While a mercenary can be a professional soldier hired to fight for pay, the defining feature is the emphasis on financial compensation as the main reason for acting. The other options miss that motive: a professional soldier describes the role, not the driver; traveling for money is too broad and not specifically about military service; fighting for a cause implies loyalty to an idea rather than payment.