stock market

American  

[stok mahr-kit] / ˈstɒk ˌmɑr kɪt /

noun

stock markets plural

1. a particular market where stocks and bonds are traded; stock exchange.

2. the market for stocks throughout a nation.

   The stock market reacted strongly to the president's speech.

---

stock market British  

noun

1. another name for stock exchange

2. the usual US name for stock exchange

---

stock market Cultural  

1. A market in which stocks are bought and sold (see stock exchange). Also, the general condition of the sale of securities in a corporation.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• stock markets
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stock market

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

Although US markets have been volatile recently, "they're still much better than the Chinese stock market", she said.

From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026

The rally driven by the global artificial-intelligence boom has exposed structural vulnerabilities in a stock market unaccustomed to wild swings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026

For investors, a stronger dollar doesn’t mean as much as the artificial-intelligence spending boom nor blowout tech earnings — especially when AI is the one theme that matters to the entire stock market.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026

See: Amateur investors are changing how the stock market works.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026

By agreement with their investors, their fund could be 25 percent net short or 50 percent net long the stock market, and the gross positions could never exceed 200 percent.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• stock exchange