What part of speech is mercy?

"Mercy" can be a few different parts of speech depending on how it's used in a sentence:

* Noun: When referring to the act of showing compassion or forgiveness.

* Example: "He pleaded for mercy."

* Verb: When referring to the act of showing compassion or forgiveness.

* Example: "The judge mercieded the criminal." (This is a less common usage.)

* Adjective: When referring to something that is characterized by compassion or forgiveness.

* Example: "He gave a mercy killing to the suffering animal."

So, to determine the part of speech, you need to look at how it's used in the sentence.