economic

adjective

eco·​nom·​ic ˌe-kə-ˈnä-mik  ˌē-kə- 

1

a

: of, relating to, or based on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services

economic growth

b

: of or relating to an economy

a group of economic advisers

c

: of or relating to economics

economic theories

2

: economical sense 1

3

: having practical or industrial significance or uses : affecting material resources

4

: profitable

5

archaic : of or relating to a household or its management

Synonyms of economic

• profitable
• lucrative

Examples of economic in a Sentence

a program to prevent inflation and economic collapse

the President's chief economic adviser

We're looking for a more economic way of doing business.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Middle East war has jeopardized Gulf nations economic plans aimed at riding the global AI boom, as an extended conflict tests investor confidence, raising questions over energy security and infrastructure resilience. —Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 25 May 2026

Solarte said the loan program will allow Illinois to support Chicagoland businesses that have yet to see customers return to prepandemic levels, while also preparing the state for future economic uncertainty. —Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026

The start of the war in February also followed mass anti-regime protests in Iran the previous month, fueled by economic discontent amid spiraling costs. —Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 24 May 2026

Our team’s study, which was published in 2025 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, estimated that the total economic burden of long COVID will likely exceed US$8 billion between 2025 and the end of 2027. —Bruce Y. Lee, Fortune, 24 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French yconomique "relating to domestic affairs, relating to the management of a household," borrowed from Medieval Latin oeconomicus (Latin as the title of Xenophon's dialogue Oeconomicus), borrowed from Greek oikonomikós "of a householder or manager, practiced in household or financial management," from oikonómos "manager of a household, steward" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at economy entry 1

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Phrases Containing economic

• anti-economic
• economic nationalism
• economic populism
• economic rent
• exclusive economic zone
• socio-economic

Rhymes for economic

• anatomic
• antidromic
• astronomic
• autonomic
• cryptogamic
• diatomic
• ergonomic
• gastronomic
• monatomic
• psychonomic
• subatomic
• taxonomic

Kids Definition

economic

adjective

ec·​o·​nom·​ic

ˌek-ə-ˈnäm-ik, 

ˌē-kə-

1

a

: of or relating to the science of economics

economic theories

b

: of, relating to, or based on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services

economic growth

2

: having practical or industrial uses : affecting material resources

economic pests