Origin: Greek suffix -ism
Mercantilism has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
an economic system (Europe in 18th century) to increase a nation's wealth by government regulation of all of the nation's commercial interests
transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services)
The theory that a nation must always have a positive balance of trade, in the manner that a merchant would operate a shop. Typically this model presupposes protectionism.