commercial

American  

[kuh-mur-shuhl] / kəˈmɜr ʃəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of commerce.

2. engaged in commerce.

3. prepared, done, or acting with sole or chief emphasis on salability, profit, or success.

   a commercial product; His attitude toward the theater is very commercial.

4. able to yield or make a profit.

   We decided that the small oil well was not commercial.

5. suitable or fit for a wide, popular market.

   Communications satellites are gradually finding a commercial use.

6. suitable for or catering to business rather than private use.

   commercial kitchen design; commercial refrigeration.

7. (of a vehicle or its use)

   1. engaged in transporting passengers or goods for profit.

   2. civilian and public, as distinguished from military or private.

8. not entirely or chemically pure.

   commercial soda.

9. catering especially to traveling salespeople by offering reduced rates, space for exhibiting products, etc..

   a commercial hotel.

10. (in U.S. government grading of beef ) graded between standard and utility.

11. paid for by advertisers.

    commercial television.

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noun

• commercials
  plural

1. Radio and Television. a paid advertisement or promotional announcement.

2. (in U.S. government grading of beef )

   1. a low-quality grade of beef between standard and utility.

   2. a cut of beef of this grade.

3. British Informal. a traveling salesperson.

commercial British  

/ kəˈmɜːʃəl /

adjective

1. of, connected with, or engaged in commerce; mercantile

2. sponsored or paid for by an advertiser

   commercial television

3. having profit as the main aim

   commercial music

4. (of goods, chemicals, etc) of unrefined quality or presentation and produced in bulk for use in industry

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noun

1. a commercially sponsored advertisement on radio or television

Synonym Usage

Commercial, mercantile refer to the activities of business, industry, and trade. Commercial is the broader term, covering all the activities and relationships of industry and trade. In a derogatory sense it may mean such a preoccupation with the affairs of commerce as results in indifference to considerations other than wealth: commercial treaties; a merely commercial viewpoint. Mercantile applies to the purchase and sale of goods, or to the transactions of business: a mercantile house or class.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anticommercialness
  noun
• commerciality
  noun
• anticommercial
  adjective
• countercommercial
  adjective
• noncommercial
  adjective
• precommercial
  adjective
• procommercial
  adjective
• quasi-commercial
  adjective
• semicommercial
  adjective
• supercommercial
  adjective
• ultracommercial
  adjective
• anticommercially
  adverb
• commercially
  adverb
• noncommercially
  adverb
• quasi-commercially
  adverb
• semicommercially
  adverb
• supercommercially
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• commercials
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of commercial

First recorded in 1680–90; commerce + -ial

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Explanation

Commercial is an adjective describing something with money-making and marketing intentions. If you’re a bit of a book snob, steer clear of commercial fiction, which is written for the widest enjoyment. The adjective commercial first appeared in the 1680’s, long before television commercials, which is probably what you think of when you hear the word. An al was added to commerce, and it meant "pertaining to trade." It wasn’t until the 1870's that commercial meant “done for the sake of financial profit,” and then later in the 1930's, the noun form was refined to describe “an advertisement broadcast on radio or TV.”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

commercial commercials

If your kid would rather get a welding certification or a commercial driver’s license than sit in a university lecture hall, the account can still help, as long as the program qualifies.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

Historically, research has also concentrated heavily on fungi with commercial or practical value.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026

A former theater kid and commercial actor, karaoke gave Sigsby a new way to express himself on stage and make friends.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026

More than 30 organisations have pledged support for the plan with new partnerships, including commercial businesses and charities.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

Carole had purchased first-class tickets on a commercial flight, but now everyone worried that John’s condition was so fragile, his appearance so scary, that the airline pilot might not allow them to fly.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

It was inside that kitchen that the boxing champion filmed commercials promoting his namesake grill, the kitchen appliance that helped turn him into a household name beyond the world of sports.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026

Heeger says their background in commercials makes the music perfectly suited to the show's slippery skullduggery.

From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026

But remember those old Nike commercials featuring former professional baseball and football player Bo Jackson?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Land acknowledgements statements, agnosticism, the utility of college education and mixed-race families in commercials all get a moment in the over-stuffed script by Kyle Rankin.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

All the happy commercials on television showing kids wearing costumes, the noises on the street outside, give a heaviness to the pit of my stomach.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

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Related Words

• economic
• financial
• monetary
• profit-making
• profitable
• wholesale

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