market

1 of 2

noun

mar·​ket ˈmär-kət 

often attributive

1

a(1)

: a meeting together of people for the purpose of trade by private purchase and sale and usually not by auction

(2)

: the people assembled at such a meeting

b(1)

: a public place where a market is held

especially : a place where provisions are sold at wholesale

a farmers' market

(2)

: a retail establishment usually of a specified kind

a fish market

2

archaic : the act or an instance of buying and selling

3

: the rate or price offered for a commodity or security

4

a(1)

: a geographic area of demand for commodities or services

sell in the southern market

(2)

: a specified category of potential buyers

the youth market

b

: the course of commercial activity by which the exchange of commodities is effected : extent of demand

the market is dull

c(1)

: an opportunity for selling

a good market for used cars

(2)

: the available supply of or potential demand for specified goods or services

the labor market

d

: the area of economic activity in which buyers and sellers come together and the forces of supply and demand affect prices

producing goods for market rather than for consumption

market

2 of 2

verb

marketed; marketing; markets

transitive verb

1

: to expose for sale in a market

2

: sell

intransitive verb

: to deal in a market

Phrases

in the market

: in the position of being a potential buyer

in the market for a house

on the market

: available for purchase

also : up for sale

put their house on the market

Synonyms

Noun

• call
• demand
• request

Verb

• deal (in)
• merchandise
• merchandize
• put up
• retail
• sell
• vend

Examples of market in a Sentence

Noun

I stopped at the market on the way home for some juice.

They are trying to develop foreign markets for American cotton.

The company sells mainly to the Southern market.

New markets are opening up all over the world.

Advertisers are trying to appeal to the youth market.

targeting a more mature market

a reference work for the educational market

Verb

The company has spent millions marketing the latest version of its software.

These products are being aggressively marketed to teenagers through television ads.

He markets his wares at craft shows.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Latin music revenues in the United States continue to hit an all-time high, exceeding the $1 billion mark for a second year in a row on the wings of 16% growth that outpaced the overall market. —Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2024

In busy markets, motorcyclists lug 10-kilogram (22-pound) bags to their homes. —Aniruddha Ghosal, Fortune Asia, 23 Apr. 2024

That’s because international markets reported better volume and sales growth than North America, while product recalls and weaker demand from lower-income consumers hurt sales in its home market. —Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024

The company will share its first quarter earnings after market close on Tuesday. —James Powel, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024

China and Russia vie for influence in Central Asia, for instance, while Iran and Russia compete for oil markets in China, India, and elsewhere in Asia. —Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024

Over the weekend, the film opened in first place in several smaller moviegoing markets, such as Brazil ($1.2 million), Spain ($573,659), Belgium ($205,253), Finland ($180,435) and Portugal ($126,129). —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 23 Apr. 2024

Here's what to know Gilbert aims to regulate brass knuckles, add funding for police amid Goons fallout False-alarm bomb scare at Peoria City Hall ruled a mental health incident Saavedra organizes a quarterly free swap market dubbed the Garfield Really Really Free Market at Aim Right. —Morgan Fischer, The Arizona Republic, 22 Apr. 2024

As a result, financial markets and Fed watchers are no longer banking on June for an initial rate cut. —Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024

Verb

Regression has been marketed as progress as outdated modes of thinking return. —Richard Newby, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024

Several years ago, an international, low-cost airline launched service at Oakland International Airport but marketed itself as an airline serving San Francisco. —Ivar C. Satero, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024

Other vegan food companies market themselves more on convenience, which Purple Carrot provides. —PCMAG, 10 Apr. 2024

Overland Vehicle Systems markets it as a four-season tent. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2024

Gatorade, for example, now markets a skin patch called the Gx Sweat Patch, which helps track personal hydration. —IEEE Spectrum, 5 Apr. 2024

Sadly, this means that low quality products can be sold and marketed as the opposite. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

The Menton lemon got a boost in 2015 when the European Union granted it the protection of a geographical indicator, which aids in marketing the lemons and is intended to guard against lesser varieties misusing the name. —Barbara Surk and Daniel Cole, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024

In particular, his decision to launch an unusual TV commercial in 2000, unleashing that squawking duck mascot, supercharged Aflac’s business and helped change how all insurance is marketed today. —Maria Aspan, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, probably from Continental Germanic; akin to Old Saxon markat marketplace, Old High German marcāt, both ultimately from Latin mercatus trade, marketplace, from mercari to trade, from merc-, merx merchandise

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing market

• anti-market
• bear market
• black market
• bull market
• buyer's market
• come on the market
• common market
• down-market
• fair market value
• farmer's market
• flea market
• free market
• gray market
• in the market
• job market
• labor market
• market basket
• market capitalization
• market economy
• market forces
• market garden
• market maker
• market order
• market price
• market research
• market share
• market town
• market value
• mass-market
• meat market
• money market
• on the market
• on the open market
• open market
• play the market
• pre-market
• price oneself out of the market
• price (someone) out of the market
• seller's market
• single market
• stock market
• sub-market
• take off the market
• test-market
• third market
• wet market

Kids Definition

market

1 of 2 noun

mar·​ket ˈmär-kət 

1

a

: a meeting together of people to buy and sell

b

: the people at such a meeting

c

: a public place where a market is held

especially : a place where provisions are sold at wholesale

2

: a store where foods are sold to the public

a meat market

3

a

: a geographic region in which things may be sold

markets for American cotton

b

: a particular category of people who might buy

the youth market

4

: an opportunity for selling

a good market for used cars

market

2 of 2 verb

1

: to deal in a market

2

: to offer for sale in a market : sell

marketing

-iŋ

noun

Etymology

Noun

Middle English market "market," derived from Latin mercatus "trade, marketplace," derived from mercari "to trade," from merc-, merx "merchandise" — related to commerce, merchant

Legal Definition

market

noun

mar·​ket

1

: the rate or price at which a security or commodity is currently selling : market price

2

a

: a geographical area of demand for commodities or services

seeking new foreign markets

b

: a formal organized system enabling the transaction of business between buyers and sellers of commodities

a futures market

see also stock market

c

: a specified category of potential buyers

the youth market

3

a

: the course of commercial activity by which the exchange of commodities is accomplished

the market is quiet

b

: an opportunity for selling

developing new markets

c

: the available supply of or potential demand for specified goods or services

the labor market

the market for durable goods

d

: the area of economic activity in which buyers and sellers come together and the forces of supply and demand affect prices