merchant of death

noun

1. a company, nation, or person that sells military arms on the international market, usually to the highest bidder and without scruple or regard for political ramifications.

Word History and Origins

Origin of merchant of death¹

Phrase popularized by the book Merchants of Death (1934) by U.S. writers Helmut C. Engelbrecht (1895–1939) and Frank C. Hanighen (1899–1964)