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• sale
  sale

  noun

  the act of selling.
• Sale
  Sale

  noun

  a town in NW England, in Trafford unitary authority, Greater Manchester: a residential suburb of Manchester. Pop: 55 234 (2001)
• Salé
  Salé

  noun

  a port in NW Morocco, on the Atlantic adjoining Rabat. Pop: 880 000 (2003)

sale

American  

[seyl] / seɪl /

noun

1. the act of selling.

2. a quantity sold.

3. opportunity to sell; demand.

   slow sale.

4. a special disposal of goods, as at reduced prices.

5. transfer of property for money or credit.

6. an auction.

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idioms

1. on sale, able to be bought at reduced prices.

2. for sale, offered to be sold; made available to purchasers.

sale ¹ British  

/ seɪl /

noun

1. the exchange of goods, property, or services for an agreed sum of money or credit

2. the amount sold

3. the opportunity to sell; market

   there was no sale for luxuries

4. the rate of selling or being sold

   a slow sale of synthetic fabrics

5. 1. an event at which goods are sold at reduced prices, usually to clear old stocks

   2. ( as modifier )

      sale bargains

6. an auction

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Sale ² British  

/ seɪl /

noun

1. a town in NW England, in Trafford unitary authority, Greater Manchester: a residential suburb of Manchester. Pop: 55 234 (2001)

2. a city in SE Australia, in SE Victoria: centre of an agricultural region. Pop: 12 854 (2001)

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Salé ³ British  

/ sale /

noun

1. a port in NW Morocco, on the Atlantic adjoining Rabat. Pop: 880 000 (2003)

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sale More Idioms  

1. see close the sale; on sale; white sale.

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Other Word Forms

• intersale
  noun
• nonsale
  noun
• subsale
  noun

Etymology

Origin of sale

First recorded before 1050; Middle English; late Old English sala; cognate with Old Norse, Old High German sala; cf. sell ¹

Explanation

A sale is what occurs whenever an object or service is given in return for a payment of money. The sale of your old bike will happen more quickly if you price it at $50 instead of $500. You can talk about the sale of your next door neighbor's house, and you can also describe the house as "for sale," or available to be purchased. When a store has a sale, it means goods temporarily cost less than usual — you can also say that things at that store are "on sale." The word sale comes from the Old English sala, from a Germanic root.

Example Sentences

Trump told reporters on Air Force One, after departing Beijing, that he would decide if that sale would go ahead, adding that he and Xi had discussed it "in great detail".

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Plus, Trump’s late-night social posts, the fire sale on M.B.A.s and how we’ll travel in 20 years.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Sophie has been added to messaging lists where third parties advertise driving tests for sale around Britain for hundreds of pounds.

From BBC • May 16, 2026

Among the sale triggers: first-quarter earnings likely in June, second-quarter earnings, and then a series of dates set two weeks apart starting in late August.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

How many kids got to say their cupcake recipe was for sale in a real bakery?

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks

Related Words

• auction
• business
• buying
• deal
• demand
• marketing
• purchase
• reduction
• selling
• trade
• transaction