commerce

¹

[ kom-ers ]

noun

1. an interchange of goods or commodities, especially on a large scale between different countries foreign commerce or between different parts of the same country domestic commerce; trade; business.
2. social relations, especially the exchange of views, attitudes, etc.
3. sexual intercourse.
4. intellectual or spiritual interchange; communion.
5. (initial capital letter) Also called Commerce Department. Informal. the Department of Commerce.

Commerce

²

[ kom-ers ]

noun

1. a town in SW California.

commerce

/ ˈkɒmɜːs /

noun

1. the activity embracing all forms of the purchase and sale of goods and services
2. social relations and exchange, esp of opinions, attitudes, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of commerce¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Middle French, from Latin commercium, from commerc(ārī) “to trade together” (from com- com- + mercārī “to buy, deal, trade,” verb derivative of merc-, stem of merx “commodity, goods, merchandise”) + -ium -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of commerce¹

C16: from Latin commercium trade, from commercārī, from mercārī to trade, from merx merchandise

Synonym Study

See trade.

Example Sentences

Proposition 32 was opposed by business groups including the California Chamber of Commerce and California Restaurant Assn., which warned it would force closures because of cost pressures.

From Los Angeles Times

A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopter located the car on the 5 Freeway in the area of Commerce and notified California Highway Patrol.

From Los Angeles Times

It was a few weeks before my next event with Vance, but I would later see him at an Akron Chamber of Commerce meeting.

From Salon

But opponents, such as the California Chamber of Commerce, warn it could tank businesses or pass costs on to consumers.

From Los Angeles Times

My dad and I ended up in front of the Commerce Center, where we ran into three sets of cousins from his side of the family.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• business
• economics
• exchange
• industry
• marketing
• retailing
• trade
• traffic