marketplace
Americannoun
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a place where a public market is held
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any centre where ideas, opinions, etc, are exchanged
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the commercial world of buying and selling
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of marketplace
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at market, place
Explanation
A marketplace is a location where people buy goods. When you travel to a new city, you should visit a marketplace to purchase souvenirs for your friends back home. Marketplace often describes an outdoor market where vendors sell produce, meat, crafts, and other goods. Depending where you are, a marketplace might be called a bazaar, a palengke, or a souk. A more general meaning is an economic system or market, or simply the everyday world where things get bought and sold. You should probably test your new lasagna-flavored ice cream in the marketplace to see if anyone will want to buy it!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Infante sees that selectiveness reflected in the marketplace.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
But the frequency of these corporate manifestos also serves as a way for executives to position themselves and their companies in the marketplace of ideas.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Online ticket marketplace StubHub was among the laggards, extending the total share-price loss since its IPO last year to 65%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
And he led negotiations for China's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001 -- a move seen as consolidating the country's transformation from an isolated economy under Mao to the marketplace of the world.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Tanu and I wandered through the marketplace admiring the cinema posters with pictures of glamorous women and handsome men.
From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan
Officials say the scammers place fake listings on social media and other online marketplaces, sometimes using artificial intelligence to make the content appear legitimate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
"It's appalling that online marketplaces continue to fail to prevent dangerous products from reaching consumers, despite countless warnings."
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
The level of competition among fashion retailers has "evolved dramatically" over the past few years, and Chinese online marketplaces Shein and Temu are now competing for Primark's customers, says Berg.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
State-run marketplaces may have had more tools to reach consumers, help them compare plans or provide extra financial assistance that enabled people to stay enrolled.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
To Vranich, the capital’s lack of resemblance to European imperial cities extends well beyond the absence of marketplaces.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
