commodification

American  

[kuh-mod-uh-fi-key-shuhn] / kəˌmɒd ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or fact of turning something into an item that can be bought and sold.

   The commodification of water means that access is available only to those who can pay.

2. the act or fact of exploiting a person or thing for profit.

   Some of the tourism to developing countries risks becoming a commodification of culture and poverty.

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Etymology

Origin of commodification

commod(ity) ( def. ) + -i- ( def. ) + -fication ( def. )

Example Sentences

The commodification of human newborns is striking in comparison.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025

That kind of commodification is what chef and wellness author Candice Kumai has spent her career trying to prevent.

From Salon • Jul. 31, 2025

"There are real and frightening privacy and safety risks to women as a result of the commodification of the data collected by cycle tracking app companies."

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2025

But that was the inevitable result of where we have been heading for decades now because of this kind of commodification of the idea of speech.

From Slate • Nov. 18, 2024

Again, though, it is useful to put the commodification of gangsta culture in proper perspective.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander