sales

American  

[seylz] / seɪlz /

noun

1. plural of sale.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or engaged in sales.

   sales records for the month of January; a sales department.

Etymology

Origin of sales

First recorded in 1820–30, for the adjective

Explanation

When a company’s sales are down, it hasn’t been making money. The word sales refers to income. If a bathing suit company’s sales are low, it should stop making wool bikinis. Sales is also the plural of “sale.” If a jewelry maker is worried about sales during the year's slow months, he might offer a discount. And when a big company focuses too much on sales, they sometimes lose track of the other aspects of doing business. Stores have big sales. The job or activity of selling things is also known as sales, so you could have a sales job, or even a title like "Director of Sales" or "sales representative."

Example Sentences

The weekend ticket sales underscore the enduring appeal of Star Wars, which remains among Disney’s top five franchises, producing more than $1 billion in annual retail sales.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

Now Gordon rushed to have it “unpublished,” promising any sales from the remaining stock would go to charity.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026

But when we take their sales and operating expenses into account, none of the main retailers' profit margins have increased over the last 20 years.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

Family offices also can make a meaningful difference for companies through partnerships, sales contacts, board representation, and other meaningful contributions, Oros says.

From Barron's • May 23, 2026

Just before the road into the park, there was a small general store, its one plate glass window cluttered with signs for circuses, garage sales, and church suppers.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

Related Words

• commerce
• deal
• dealings
• exchange
• industry
• manufacturing
• market
• selling
• trade
• traffic
• transaction