marketplace

American  

[mahr-kit-pleys] / ˈmɑr kɪtˌpleɪs /

Or market place

noun

1. an open area in a town where a market is held.

2. the commercial world; the realm of business, trade, and economics.

3. any sphere considered as a place where ideas, thoughts, artistic creations, etc., compete for recognition.

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marketplace British  

/ ˈmɑːkɪtˌpleɪs /

noun

1. a place where a public market is held

2. any centre where ideas, opinions, etc, are exchanged

3. the commercial world of buying and selling

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Etymology

Origin of marketplace

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; market, place

Example Sentences

But there are still plenty of moving parts and uncertainty in the current marketplace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

What matters, she writes, is “the marketplace of ideas,” and “the case is textbook” because Colorado’s law “distinguishes between two opposed sets of ideas,” only one of which the state approves.

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026

Smith maintained the company was taking steps to navigate a competitive international marketplace and “better align supply and demand.”

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

“The broader signal to the marketplace is that the shield is wearing thin,” said Peter Jackson, a privacy and cybersecurity attorney in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

He sat all day in his marketplace stall hoping to make a few rupees by writing letters for those who did not know how to write their own.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan

Related Words

• forum