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

During another good year for the stock market, a trend has been reversed.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

But with a light calendar for earnings and economic data, market attention is quickly shifting to international trade and policy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

But credit spreads matter a great deal to the stock market because they can affect how prices in relation to earnings — the price-to-earnings ratio — are valued.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

“Whilst the event provided both a helpful and thorough review of the business outlook as well as a strategic refresh, it was met with a fairly punishing market response.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

The father disapproved of the stock market, but the payout from his death funded his son into it.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

The problem for investors is that, while conditions remain remarkably loose enough that stocks are climbing despite several concerns, some markets suggest that is about to change.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

This is an edition of the WSJ Economics newsletter, your guide to the intersection of economics, markets and politics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

That is ultimately why all of these markets are connected.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

Oil markets remain caught between Middle East supply risks and prospects for diplomacy, according to Lukman Otunuga, head of market research at FXTM.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

The next night, we reached the city of Turfan and the caravan spread itself across the markets to fill their packs before the long journey across the desert.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

“Evidence shows that the business, marketed to male customers, had a high volume of men entering the establishment over a short period of time each day,” the D.A.’s office said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

The death prompted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to launch an investigation in June into the maker of Celsius and Alani Nu over energy drinks that he says are marketed to teens and children.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Until December 2025, under UK law, Carangidae species could only be marketed as "jack", "scad", "trevally" or "horse mackerel".

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

“Tigi Tigi” had been marketed as a song to combat racial discrimination — both artists stressed that it was meant to project unity across all ethnicities and races.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

It was thought to hold promise for medicine, too: Edison marketed his inductorium, an induction coil, as a guaranteed cure for rheumatism, gout, nervous diseases, and sciatica.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

“We relied on the page, because it combined marketing, ticketing, and communications with clients and performers. To have that taken away with just a moment’s notice … I can’t even describe it.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

The company, which has raised $50 million, laid off a handful of people working in marketing in January as it pivoted its product.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

She first saw UGC as a steppingstone to a full-time marketing job, but is now reconsidering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

Chelsea, who works in marketing, said she feared what the speed of progress would mean for their new baby and four-year-old.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

This sure beat the pants off marketing for day-old meats.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Related Words

• advertise
• display
• retail