sellsword
Fighter for coin
A sellsword is a mercenary—a soldier who fights for pay rather than loyalty or cause.
The term has an archaic flavor and appears mainly in fantasy fiction, particularly medieval settings: The lord hired a company of sellswords to defend the castle.
The word emphasizes the transactional nature: the sword is literally for sale.
Formal single-combat participant
- gladiatorAncient Roman arena combatant
- roninFeudal drifter-warrior
- samuraiFeudal Japanese military caste
- condottieroItalian freelance military leader
reaver · champion · veteran · fighter · bravo · cutthroat · soldier · bodyguard
Enforceable written agreement
- freelancerSelf-employed service provider
- hireTake on for work
- coinStamped metal currency
- paymentFulfilling a financial obligation
employer · commission · fee · service · loyalty · betrayal · gold · wage
duelist
Formal single-combat participant
- gladiatorAncient Roman arena combatant
- roninFeudal drifter-warrior
- samuraiFeudal Japanese military caste
condottiero · reaver · champion · veteran · fighter · bravo · cutthroat · soldier · bodyguard · guard
contract
Enforceable written agreement
- freelancerSelf-employed service provider
- hireTake on for work
- coinStamped metal currency
payment · employer · commission · fee · service · loyalty · betrayal · gold · wage · bounty
swordplay
Art of fighting with blades
- duelPrearranged one-on-one combat
- battlefieldCombat engagement area
- meleeDisordered group skirmish
skirmish · warfare · ambush · siege · clash · engagement · assault · flank · onslaught · blade
bannerman
One carrying lord's colors
- knightHonored mounted soldier
- man-at-armsArmed medieval combatant
- squireKnight's noble assistant
vassal · castle · keep · fortress · heraldry · feudalism · chivalry · tourney · liege · lord
- warriorsfighter, knight, footsoldier, barbarian, samurai
- hired fightersmercenary, soldier of fortune, gun for hire, hired gun, condottiere
- medieval travelerspilgrim, merchant, crusader, messenger, courier
- swordfightersswordswoman, fencer, duelist, samurai, gladiator
sellswordloyalist
Faithful supporter of authority
patriot · liegeman · loyal retainer · vassal · bannerman
sellswordknight
Honored mounted soldier
soldier · man-at-arms · legionnaire · guardsman · bannerman
sellswordknight
Honored mounted soldier
paladin · champion · gallant · noble warrior · white knight
sell, sword, sells, sold, selling, seller, sellers, undersell, oversell