economic

adjective

eco·​nom·​ic ˌe-kə-ˈnä-mik How to pronounce economic (audio) ˌē-kə- How to pronounce economic (audio)
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
3
: having practical or industrial significance or uses : affecting material resources
4
5
archaic : of or relating to a household or its management

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 Related The woman is seeking economic and compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs. Chris Eggertsen, Billboard, 22 Nov. 2023 But what then? All rejected the displacement of Palestinian residents of Gaza outside the strip and an Israeli reoccupation, but who, exactly, would take political and economic responsibility for a flattened Gaza Strip? Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2023 Most of the economic benefits went to Israelis, and people could see that. Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023 However, although economic development rewarded some, significant disparities remained, sparking new moral quandaries. Teresa Nowakowski, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2023 Yet, more recently, the allure of H Street has faded as the corridor has come to reflect a more contemporary version of Washington — a city still recovering from the pandemic, buffeted by economic uncertainty and battered by violent crime. Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023 New York ranked 50th for economic freedom and scored at or near the bottom for debt and state and local taxation, government consumption, land use and labor policy. Stepheny Price, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2023 Likewise, in 2021, the Japanese government’s annual economic policy guidelines included a recommendation that companies let employees opt for a four-day workweek. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023 Beige Book economic reports in September and October from the Federal Reserve Bank pointed to a weakening in the Arkansas manufacturing sector. Andrew Moreau, arkansasonline.com, 18 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'economic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of economic was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near economic

Cite this Entry

“Economic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/economic. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on economic

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