fair trade

¹ American  

noun

1. trade carried on under a fair-trade agreement.

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fair-trade ² American  

[fair-treyd] / ˈfɛərˈtreɪd /

verb (used with object)

fair-traded, fair-trading

1. to sell (a commodity) under a fair-trade agreement.

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verb (used without object)

fair-traded, fair-trading

1. to sell a commodity under a fair-trade agreement.

adjective

1. subject to or resulting from a fair-trade agreement.

   fair-trade items; fair-trade prices.

fair trade British  

noun

1. 1. the practice of directly benefiting producers in the developing world by buying straight from them at a guaranteed price

   2. ( as modifier )

      fair-trade coffee

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Other Word Forms

• fair-trader noun

Etymology

Origin of fair trade¹

First recorded in 1715–25

Origin of fair-trade²

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Submission is portrayed as a fair trade to women.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026

While this viral exercise is extreme, Link noted that some workers may consider a small pay cut to work remotely as a fair trade.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 24, 2025

Challenging other nations to emulate the U.S. by guaranteeing some portion of their sovereign debt in gold would demonstrate America’s vision for stable money as the proper foundation for fair trade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

She adds that these provide a market for customers who value indigenous arts, sustainability and fair trade, and are willing to pay more.

From BBC • Oct. 5, 2025

It seemed like a fair trade, the more I thought about it.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon