Merchandise

Pronunciation

• GenAm noun IPA: /ˈmɝtʃənËŒdaɪs/, /ˈmɝtʃənËŒdaɪz/
• GenAm verb IPA: /ˈmɝtʃənËŒdaɪz/
• RP noun IPA: /ˈmɜːtʃənËŒdaɪs/, /ˈmɜːtʃənËŒdaɪz/
• RP verb IPA: /ˈmɜːtʃənËŒdaɪz/

Alternative forms

• merchandize non‐standard, merchaundise obsolete,merchaundize obsolete

Origin

From Anglo-Norman marchaundise, from marchaunt ("merchant")

Full definition of merchandise

Noun

1. (uncountable) Commodities offered for sale.''good business depends on having good merchandise
2. (countable) A commodity offered for sale; an article of commerce; a kind of merchandise.
3. (uncountable) The act or business of trading; trade; traffic.

Usage notes

Adjectives often applied to "merchandise": returned, used, damaged, stolen, assorted, lost, promotional, industrial, cheap, expensive, imported, good, inferior.

Synonyms

• wares
• product

Verb

1. (intransitive, archaic) To engage in trade; to carry on commerce.
2. (intransitive) To engage in in-store promotion of the sale of goods, as by display and arrangement of goods.He started his career merchandising in a small clothing store chain.
3. (transitive, archaic) To engage in the trade of.
4. (transitive) To engage in in-store promotion of the sale of.He got hired to merchandise some new sporting goods lines.
5. (transitive) To promote as if for sale.The record companies don't get as good a return on merchandising artists under contract.

Related terms

• mercantile
• merchant
• merchantable