market

American  

[mahr-kit] / ˈmɑr kɪt /

noun

• markets
  plural

1. an open place or a covered building where buyers and sellers convene for the sale of goods; a marketplace.

   a farmers' market.

2. a store for the sale of food.

   a meat market.

3. a meeting of people for selling and buying.

4. the assemblage of people at such a meeting.

5. trade or traffic, especially as regards a particular commodity.

   the market in cotton.

6. a body of persons carrying on extensive transactions in a specified commodity.

   the cotton market.

7. the field of trade or business.

   the best shoes in the market.

8. demand for a commodity.

   an unprecedented market for leather.

9. a body of existing or potential buyers for specific goods or services.

   the health-food market.

10. a region in which goods and services are bought, sold, or used.

    the foreign market; the New England market.

11. current price or value.

    a rising market for shoes.

12. stock market.

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verb (used without object)

• markets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• marketed,
  past participle,  past
• marketing
  present participle

1. to buy or sell in a market; deal.

2. to buy food and provisions for the home.

verb (used with object)

• markets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• marketed,
  past participle,  past
• marketing
  present participle

1. to advertise (something) to a target audience or for a recommended use: This movie was marketed as a horror film, rather than a drama.

   The vacation homes are marketed to retirees and other seniors.

   This movie was marketed as a horror film, rather than a drama.

2. to carry or send to market for disposal.

   to market produce every week.

3. to dispose of in a market; sell.

   Synonyms:

   peddle, merchandise, vend

idioms

1. at the market, at the prevailing price in the open market.

2. on the market, for sale; available.

   Fresh asparagus will be on the market this week.

3. in the market for, ready to buy; interested in buying.

   I'm in the market for a new car.

market British  

/ ˈmɑːkɪt /

noun

1. 1. an event or occasion, usually held at regular intervals, at which people meet for the purpose of buying and selling merchandise

   2. ( as modifier )

      market day

2. a place, such as an open space in a town, at which a market is held

3. a shop that sells a particular merchandise

   an antique market

4. business or trade in a commodity as specified

   the sugar market

5. the trading or selling opportunities provided by a particular group of people

   the foreign market

6. demand for a particular product or commodity

   there is no market for furs here

7. See stock market

8. See market price market value

9. at the current price

10. to wish to buy or acquire

11. available for purchase

12. 1. to speculate on a stock exchange

    2. to act aggressively or unscrupulously in one's own commercial interests

13. a market characterized by excess supply and thus favourable to buyers

14. a market characterized by excess demand and thus favourable to sellers

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verb

1. (tr) to offer or produce for sale

2. (intr) to buy or deal in a market

market More Idioms  

1. see corner the market; drug on the market; flea market; in the market for; on the market; play the market; price out of the market.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• marketer
  noun
• nonmarket
  noun
• submarket
  noun
• premarket
  verb
• remarket
  verb (used with object)
• undermarket
  verb (used with object)
• multimarket
  adjective
• unmarketed
  adjective
• well-marketed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• markets
  plural

Participles

• marketing
  present
• marketed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• market
  simple
• markets
  simple
• have marketed
  perfect
• has marketed
  perfect
• am marketing
  progressive
• are marketing
  progressive
• is marketing
  progressive
• have been marketing
  perfect progressive
• has been marketing
  perfect progressive

Past

• marketed
  simple
• had marketed
  perfect
• was marketing
  progressive
• were marketing
  progressive
• had been marketing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will market
  simple
• will have marketed
  perfect
• will be marketing
  progressive
• will have been marketing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of market

First recorded in 1100–1150; Middle English market, market(t)e, markat(t)e, late Old English market, from Vulgar Latin marcātus (assumed), from Latin mercātus “trading, traffic, market”; see origin at merchant ( def. )

Explanation

Market is both a noun and a verb that have to do with selling. Companies that successfully market potato chips make people buy a big bag at the market. Are you in the market for a new pair of jeans? That means you are looking to buy. You might be the market, or likely customers, for a certain brand. The cost of those jeans will be whatever the market can bear, meaning the most profit that can be made, either by selling fewer pairs at high cost or lots of pairs at a lower cost. But if you buy them on the so-called black market, you might get a bargain price — only to find your new jeans aren't authentic — knock-offs of the real thing.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

market markets marketed marketing

Crude futures recovered from early losses and settled fractionally higher with market optimism about increased shipments out of the Middle East tempered by continued conflict risk.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

In fact, rising interest rates are taking a toll across the market, and it’s becoming clear that one sector alone is keeping things from unraveling.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

The government declined to say if stock market reform would be part of its Budget this month.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

The partnership between the two US-based tech titans helps them compete with Apple, Intel and AMD in the personal computing market.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

“The market found him,” says the Philadelphia mutual fund manager.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

The yuan consolidated against the dollar in onshore and offshore markets on the first trading day in mainland China after a long holiday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Because tokens are often thinly traded during off-hours, they are susceptible to sharp price moves when users buy or sell more than the markets can handle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Rates overall have had a profound impact on markets, and the longer rates remain elevated, and the higher they go, the greater the impact is likely to become.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

"IEA members also supported the prioritisation of the release of diesel stocks, to the extent possible, given the current tightness in diesel markets," Birol said in his statement.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

And these comments are for only half a week’s supplies, because on other days I shop at different markets to avoid this very problem.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Yet a similar techno-utopian pitch survives in today’s smart homes and domestic technologies, from assistants like Alexa to artificial intelligence marketed as a way to make life easier.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

The measure comes as smart glasses -- especially those marketed by Meta under popular brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley -- are causing growing concern in Europe.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

These products are marketed to them as “skin-loving,” not as wrinkle creams.

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026

DeCrane said his group opposes the way it has been "marketed" to firefighters, including in Spokane where morning briefings fire chiefs to their crews included suggestions that they visit a volunteer tent for treatment.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

In the 1960s, George E. Johnson marketed the “relaxer,” a chemical product used to straighten otherwise curly African American hair.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

It said that lighter regulation, better marketing and incentives for investors were needed to stem the outflow.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Every CMO has faced a colleague who assumes marketing amounts to the party planning committee.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

The media and technology watchdog organization urged OpenAI to pause marketing the product and keep minors off the platform until it can offer a safer experience.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Jen Eaves has been taking a slower approach to her mother’s cognitive decline, even though she’s the vice president of marketing for Aura, an identity-theft monitoring service.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

“My mom runs a marketing firm. People come to her to get more business or get more attention. Like she helps new restaurants get reviews and sends out coupons. The unpopular dogs need a publicist.”

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

Related Words

• advertise
• display
• retail