commerce

1 of 2

noun

com·​merce ˈkä-(ˌ)mərs 

1

: social intercourse : interchange of ideas, opinions, or sentiments

… a negotiated peace that will reestablish intellectual commerce among them …

—P. B. Rice

2

: the exchange or buying and selling of commodities on a large scale involving transportation from place to place

a major center of commerce

interstate commerce

3

: sexual intercourse

commerce

2 of 2

verb

com·​merce ˈkä-(ˌ)mərs 

kə-ˈmərs

commerced; commercing

intransitive verb

archaic

: commune

Synonyms

Noun

• marketplace
• trade
• traffic
• business

Choose the Right Synonym for commerce

business, commerce, trade, industry, traffic mean activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities.

business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions.

commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities.

industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale.

traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

Examples of commerce in a Sentence

Noun

He was the Secretary of Commerce under the last President.

a government agency in charge of regulating interstate commerce

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Tapping into this consumer demand for all things K-beauty, Walmart and the live commerce platform TalkShopLive teamed up on October 28 for a special livestream that thrust the former’s bestselling K-beauty offerings into the spotlight. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2025

Oestlien will oversee YouTube TV, YouTube Music and YouTube Premium, as well as podcasts, commerce and YouTube Primetime Channels. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025

Verb

Open banking’s second act: from connectivity to commerce The UK is pushing open banking beyond data pipes. —Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025

Rather than commerce alone, Freedom Colonies prioritized sustainability and independence. —Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 16 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle French, from Latin commercium, from com- + merc-, merx merchandise

First Known Use

Noun

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing commerce

• chamber of commerce
• e-commerce
• m-commerce

Kids Definition

commerce

noun

com·​merce

ˈkäm-(ˌ)ərs

: buying and selling of goods especially on a large scale and between different places : trade

Etymology

Noun

from early French commerce "exchange of ideas or opinions, commerce," from Latin commercium (same meaning), from com- "with" and merc-, merx "merchandise" — related to market, merchant

Legal Definition

commerce

noun

com·​merce

1

: the exchange or buying and selling of goods, commodities, property, or services especially on a large scale and involving transportation from place to place : trade sense 2 see also commerce clause, Fair Labor Standards Act

2

: the act of engaging in sexual intercourse