e-commerce

American  

[ee-kom-ers] / ˈiˌkɒm ərs /

Or ecommerce

noun

1. business that is transacted by transferring data electronically, especially over the internet.

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e-commerce British  

/ ˈiːˌkɒmɜːs /

noun

1. business transactions conducted on the internet

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Etymology

Origin of e-commerce

First recorded in 1990–95; e- ² + commerce

Example Sentences

The e-commerce giant said Tuesday that it will acquire Globalstar, a satellite company focused on providing service to areas where coverage is minimal, in a deal set to close next year.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

During the first quarter, 70% of new U.S. e-commerce orders came from Gen Z or millennial consumers, Gass said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

The e-commerce upstart went public at a market value of around $430 million, which was less than 0.01% of the S&P 500’s value at the time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

The parcel carriers have been wary about relying too much on Amazon, especially since the e-commerce giant is also a competitor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

All of these interoperable banking and e-commerce functions flattened the Internet marketplace so radically that even eBay was taken by surprise.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

Related Words

• browsing
• spending