economic

American  

[ek-uh-nom-ik, ee-kuh-] / ˌɛk əˈnɒm ɪk, ˌi kə- /

adjective

1. pertaining to the production, distribution, and use of income, wealth, and commodities.

2. of or relating to the science of economics.

3. pertaining to an economy, or system of organization or operation, especially of the process of production.

4. involving or pertaining to one's personal resources of money.

   to give up a large house for economic reasons.

5. pertaining to use as a resource in the economy.

   economic entomology; economic botany.

6. affecting or apt to affect the welfare of material resources.

   weevils and other economic pests.

7. economical.

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economic British  

/ ˌɛkə-, ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to an economy, economics, or finance

   economic development

   economic theories

2. capable of being produced, operated, etc, for profit; profitable

   the firm is barely economic

3. concerning or affecting material resources or welfare

   economic pests

4. concerned with or relating to the necessities of life; utilitarian

5. a variant of economical

6. informal inexpensive; cheap

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Other Word Forms

• antieconomic adjective
• noneconomic adjective
• preeconomic adjective
• quasi-economic adjective
• subeconomic adjective
• uneconomic adjective

Etymology

Origin of economic

First recorded in 1585–95; from Middle French economique, from Latin oeconomicus, from Greek oikonomikós “relating to household management,” equivalent to oikonóm(os) “steward” (from oîko(s) “house” + nómos “manager”) + -ikos -ic

Related Words

• budgetary
• commercial
• fiscal
• industrial
• monetary