economic

American  

[ek-uh-nom-ik, ee-kuh-] / ˌɛk əˈnɒm ɪk, ˌi kə- /

adjective

1. pertaining to the production, distribution, and use of income, wealth, and commodities.

2. of or relating to the science of economics.

3. pertaining to an economy, or system of organization or operation, especially of the process of production.

4. involving or pertaining to one's personal resources of money.

   to give up a large house for economic reasons.

5. pertaining to use as a resource in the economy.

   economic entomology; economic botany.

6. affecting or apt to affect the welfare of material resources.

   weevils and other economic pests.

7. economical.

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economic British  

/ ˌɛkə-, ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to an economy, economics, or finance

   economic development

   economic theories

2. capable of being produced, operated, etc, for profit; profitable

   the firm is barely economic

3. concerning or affecting material resources or welfare

   economic pests

4. concerned with or relating to the necessities of life; utilitarian

5. a variant of economical

6. informal inexpensive; cheap

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Other Word Forms

• antieconomic
  adjective
• noneconomic
  adjective
• preeconomic
  adjective
• quasi-economic
  adjective
• subeconomic
  adjective
• uneconomic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of economic

First recorded in 1585–95; from Middle French economique, from Latin oeconomicus, from Greek oikonomikós “relating to household management,” equivalent to oikonóm(os) “steward” (from oîko(s) “house” + nómos “manager”) + -ikos -ic

Explanation

If you describe something as economic, then it relates to the economy. And the economy? It's all about money, honey. The adjective economic, meaning “pertaining to management of a household,” first developed in the 1590’s and might remind you of "Home Economics" classes where you once learned to cook and sew. Usually though, we use economic to describe things relating to finance. It’s not the same as financial, but if you’re talking about a town or country whose finances are in dire straits, it’s ok to say "economic ruin."

Example Sentences

James Lee Silliman, executive director of Ouachita Partnership for Economic Development, said the expanding defense industry is benefiting the broader community, including small restaurant owners who are getting more visitors.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

Last month, the multilateral lender's World Economic Outlook predicted global growth would drop to 3.1 percent in 2026 in its "reference" scenario, but warned of a bleaker outlook if the war were to drag on.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

"Consumers cannot and should not be completely insulated from global supply shocks, because that will cause even more pain later," Rahul Ahluwalia, founder director of the Foundation for Economic Development, told the BBC.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

In 2025 a Journal editorial noted a new paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research:

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

The United States finished between fifteenth and thirty-first in the three categories tested by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

Related Words

• budgetary
• commercial
• fiscal
• industrial
• monetary