Meaning
What does Merc mean?
Merc is a slang term, derived from the word mercenary, taking the violent association with it.
Merc is usually used for conveying thoughts of murder or extreme violence.
It is especially used in hip hop communities and is often present in rap songs.
The phrase may be spelled in several ways, it being an unofficial word, applied in slang only. Spellings may very between merk, murc, murk and of course merc.
Origin
What's the origin of Merc?
Merc takes the approach to its father expression, mercenary by associating with a murderous behavior, that is aiming at profiting on the sufferings of someone else.
It appeared in the hip hop sphere in the late 80’s or the early 90’s and it could be used as a verb or a noun.
Spread & Usage
How did Merc spread?
The spread of hip hop culture and the growing prominence of rap in the music scene led to a bigger recognition of merc, and it is applied in wider circles today, unrelated to rap.
It has a long history on Urban Dictionary as well, being first defined in 2002, with plenty other entries attempting to give a better understanding of this slang word.
External resources
- Urban Dictionary – Merc