commerce

1 of 2

noun

com·​merce ˈkä-(ˌ)mərs How to pronounce commerce (audio)
1
: social intercourse : interchange of ideas, opinions, or sentiments
… a negotiated peace that will reestablish intellectual commerce among them …P. B. Rice
2
: the exchange or buying and selling of commodities on a large scale involving transportation from place to place
a major center of commerce
interstate commerce
3

commerce

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verb

com·​merce ˈkä-(ˌ)mərs How to pronounce commerce (audio)
kə-ˈmərs
commerced; commercing
Choose the Right Synonym for commerce

business, commerce, trade, industry, traffic mean activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities.

business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions.

commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities.

industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale.

traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

Examples of commerce in a Sentence

Noun He was the Secretary of Commerce under the last President. a government agency in charge of regulating interstate commerce
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Courtney Leiva is a contributing commerce writer for PEOPLE and has written for publications such as The Daily Beast, Buzzfeed, HuffPost, and more. Kate Watson, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024 Audrey is the commerce editor at Architectural Digest based in New York City. Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
Closing the section was a huge disturbance to I-95, an artery to travel and commerce up the east coast that's driven on by an average of 160,000 vehicles daily, according to PennDOT. Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 21 June 2023 What will commerce tools enable in the future? Arjun Kapur, Forbes, 20 May 2021 See all Example Sentences for commerce 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commerce.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle French, from Latin commercium, from com- + merc-, merx merchandise

First Known Use

Noun

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of commerce was in 1537

Dictionary Entries Near commerce

Cite this Entry

“Commerce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commerce. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

commerce

noun
com·​merce
ˈkäm-(ˌ)ərs
: buying and selling of goods especially on a large scale and between different places : trade
Etymology

Noun

from early French commerce "exchange of ideas or opinions, commerce," from Latin commercium (same meaning), from com- "with" and merc-, merx "merchandise" — related to market, merchant

Legal Definition

commerce

noun
com·​merce
1
: the exchange or buying and selling of goods, commodities, property, or services especially on a large scale and involving transportation from place to place : trade sense 2 see also commerce clause, Fair Labor Standards Act
2
: the act of engaging in sexual intercourse

More from Merriam-Webster on commerce

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