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.

Related Words

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