Commerce

Pronunciation

• IPA:
• US: /ˈkÉ‘.mɝs/
• UK: /ˈkÉ’.mÉœs/ (Formerly accented on the second syllable.)

Origin

From Middle French commerce, from Latin commercium ("commerce, trade"), from com- ("together") + merx ("good, wares, merchandise"); see merchant, mercenary

Full definition of commerce

Noun

1. (business) The exchange or buying and selling of commodities; especially the exchange of merchandise, on a large scale, between different places or communities; extended trade or traffic.
2. Social intercourse; the dealings of one person or class in society with another; familiarity.
• Macaulay:Fifteen years of thought, observation, and commerce with the world had made him Bunyan wiser.
• 1881, , :Suppose we held our converse not in words, but in music; those who have a bad ear would find themselves cut off from all near commerce, and no better than foreigners in this big world.
3. (obsolete) Sexual intercourse.
4. A round game at cards, in which the cards are subject to exchange, barter, or trade.

Synonyms

• trade, traffic, dealings, intercourse, interchange, communion, communication

Derived terms

• chamber of commerce
• commercial

Verb

1. (dated) To carry on trade; to traffic.Beware you commerce not with bankrupts. -B. Jonson.
2. (dated) To hold intercourse; to commune.Commercing with himself. -Tennyson.Musicians ... taught the people in angelic harmonies to commerce with heaven. -Prof. Wilson.