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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The conference is expected to bring 4,000 visitors and generate up to $7 million in economic impact for Milwaukee. Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Investors are watching for a slew of US economic data, but none quite so closely as Nvidia’s upcoming earnings. Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2025 The combination of IoT, advanced cellular networks and innovative technologies is poised to create a new era of connectivity and intelligence, generating vast economic and societal opportunities while demanding careful consideration of architectural design, security and sustainability challenges. Hemant Soni, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025 For now, the full economic impact of Trump’s police takeover of Washington remains in up in the air. Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for economic

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Economic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/economic. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.

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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