an interchange of goods or commodities, especially on a large scale between different countries foreign commerce or between different parts of the same country domestic commerce; trade; business.
social relations, especially the exchange of views, attitudes, etc.
sexual intercourse.
intellectual or spiritual interchange; communion.
Also called Commerce Department. (initial capital letter) the Department of Commerce.
the activity embracing all forms of the purchase and sale of goods and services
social relations and exchange, esp of opinions, attitudes, etc
What does commerce mean? Commerce refers to the buying and selling of goods and products, especially on a large scale, as in New York City is a major center of commerce where billions of dollars are exchanged every day. The word commerce is almost always used to refer to business, trade, and the movement of things that are being bought and sold. Commerce can refer to either the exchange of goods between countries (international or foreign commerce) or the exchange that occurs within one country (domestic commerce). Much less frequently, commerce is used to mean an exchanging of ideas or views as part of social interaction, as in The club promoted intellectual commerce among the students. Commerce is similar to the word trade and the two words can generally be used as synonyms. Trade describes a more general exchange of goods and money, while commerce describes large-scale trading, such as at an interstate or international level, which requires large numbers of trucks, planes, and other delivery methods. Example: After the war, the small country experienced an increase in commerce with neighboring countries because transporting products was safe again.
See trade.
First recorded in 1530–40; from Middle French, from Latin commercium, from commerc(ārī) “to trade together” (from com- com- + mercārī “to buy, deal, trade,” verb derivative of merc-, stem of merx “commodity, goods, merchandise”) + -ium -ium
Commerce is the exchange of goods and services. It's business. Competition between cities wanting to host the Olympics is fierce because the games increase tourism and commerce. Commerce made its way into English from the Latin word commercium — com-, meaning "together," and -mercium, meaning "merchandise." Business, trade, and retailing are all common synonyms. Commerce doesn't always refer to buying and selling, though, just as the marketplace doesn't always refer to goods and services. Data, information, and opinions, too, can be exchanged and traded, as on the Internet, which is a great place for the commerce of ideas.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For thousands of Maine families who rely on lobstering, the stakes in sustaining maritime commerce are high.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026
Fielder rose to fame with his 2013-2017 Comedy Central show “Nathan For You,” in which he uses his commerce degree from British Columbia’s University of Victoria to sell himself as a savior for struggling entrepreneurs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
Technology and commerce have obviously changed considerably since Congress passed the Video Privacy Protection Act.
From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026
Howard Lutnick, the billionaire commerce secretary, bragged last year that if the Social Security Administration stopped sending checks to his mother-in-law she wouldn’t complain.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
Mr. Nielsen is a member of the chamber of commerce, and conversations often include discussion of initiatives and plans for stimulating business in this “unruly” economy, as he calls it.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
Mark Casci, of West Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the plans and said a lot of businesses were looking to "decarbonise" their vehicles.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
The root of the conflict is the Colorado River Compact, negotiated in 1922 among the seven states of the Colorado watershed under the supervision of the then-Secretary of Commerce, Herbert Hoover.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
Neither the Commerce Department nor the White House responded to requests for comment.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
Claiming those refunds requires extensive paperwork and approval from the Commerce Department, which can deny the requests.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Then walk down to Commerce Street and get on the New Jersey Transit bus, which’ll take me right to Route 513.
From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
