commercial

[ kuh-mur-shuhl ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of commerce.
2. engaged in commerce.
3. prepared, done, or acting with sole or chief emphasis on salability, profit, or success:

   a commercial product; His attitude toward the theater is very commercial.

4. able to yield or make a profit:

   We decided that the small oil well was not commercial.

5. suitable or fit for a wide, popular market:

   Communications satellites are gradually finding a commercial use.

6. suitable for or catering to business rather than private use:

   commercial kitchen design; commercial refrigeration.

7. (of a vehicle or its use)
   1. engaged in transporting passengers or goods for profit.
   2. civilian and public, as distinguished from military or private.
8. not entirely or chemically pure:

   commercial soda.

9. catering especially to traveling salespeople by offering reduced rates, space for exhibiting products, etc.:

   a commercial hotel.

10. (in U.S. government grading of beef ) graded between standard and utility.
11. paid for by advertisers:

    commercial television.

noun

1. Radio and Television. a paid advertisement or promotional announcement.
2. (in U.S. government grading of beef )
   1. a low-quality grade of beef between standard and utility.
   2. a cut of beef of this grade.
3. British Informal. a traveling salesperson.

commercial

/ kəˈmɜːʃəl; kəˌmɜːʃɪˈælɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of, connected with, or engaged in commerce; mercantile
2. sponsored or paid for by an advertiser

   commercial television

3. having profit as the main aim

   commercial music

4. (of goods, chemicals, etc) of unrefined quality or presentation and produced in bulk for use in industry

noun

1. a commercially sponsored advertisement on radio or television

Derived Forms

• commerciality, noun
• comˈmercially, adverb

Other Words From

• com·mercial·ly adverb
• anti·com·mercial adjective
• anti·com·mercial·ly adverb
• anti·com·mercial·ness noun
• counter·com·mercial adjective
• noncom·mercial adjective noun
• noncom·mercial·ly adverb
• precom·mercial adjective
• procom·mercial adjective
• quasi-com·mercial adjective
• quasi-com·mercial·ly adverb
• semi·com·mercial adjective
• semi·com·mercial·ly adverb
• super·com·mercial adjective
• super·com·mercial·ly adverb
• ultra·com·mercial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of commercial¹

First recorded in 1680–90; commerce + -ial

Synonym Study

Commercial, mercantile refer to the activities of business, industry, and trade. Commercial is the broader term, covering all the activities and relationships of industry and trade. In a derogatory sense it may mean such a preoccupation with the affairs of commerce as results in indifference to considerations other than wealth: commercial treaties; a merely commercial viewpoint. Mercantile applies to the purchase and sale of goods, or to the transactions of business: a mercantile house or class.

Example Sentences

A proven winner and a man capable of capturing global interest, Mourinho would satisfy both commercial and sporting needs.

From BBC

Thus common words like tiktokeur, vlog, smartphone and émoji – which are all in the latest commercial dictionaries – do not exist in the Académie book.

From BBC

There, most parcels are likely to be occupied by a strip mall or office building, but some apartments exist in commercial zones as well.

From Los Angeles Times

This comes after some video podcasters have groused about the number of commercial breaks in their shows, which can irritate paying listeners.

From Los Angeles Times

Canada’s role in supplying the commodity is made more urgent by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, particularly for the US, which had relied heavily on Russian-supplied enriched uranium to fire up its commercial nuclear reactors.

From BBC

Related Words

• economic
• financial
• monetary
• profit-making
• profitable
• wholesale