marketplace
Americannoun
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a place where a public market is held
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any centre where ideas, opinions, etc, are exchanged
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the commercial world of buying and selling
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of marketplace
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at market, place
Explanation
A marketplace is a location where people buy goods. When you travel to a new city, you should visit a marketplace to purchase souvenirs for your friends back home. Marketplace often describes an outdoor market where vendors sell produce, meat, crafts, and other goods. Depending where you are, a marketplace might be called a bazaar, a palengke, or a souk. A more general meaning is an economic system or market, or simply the everyday world where things get bought and sold. You should probably test your new lasagna-flavored ice cream in the marketplace to see if anyone will want to buy it!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It's a very clear supply and demand marketplace," he says.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
Alan Levy, co-founder and CEO of 4C Predictions, a marketplace for sports, stocks and politics, was a bit more skeptical.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
Opendorse, the NIL marketplace and tech company, projects that freshman athletes across all sports will rake in $780 million in the next school year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
The cancellations amount to 19% of those who had renewed their policies on the state marketplace during open enrollment, state officials said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
She heard shrill voices at the marketplace: women shouting outrage at the prices, vendors shouting in reply.
From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
