English Reference
noun · verb

commerce

n. · v.
US /ˈkɑmɝs/ UK /kˈɒmɜːs/ com·merce UK spelling commerced, commerces, commercing

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.the activity of buying and selling goods and services, especially between different companies or countries.

    n.the large-scale exchange of goods, services, or property, particularly between different geographic regions or communities.

    Simple

    The new treaty was designed to encourage commerce between the two nations.

    In context

    The rise of digital platforms has fundamentally transformed global commerce, allowing small artisans to reach international markets with minimal overhead costs.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced FormalLiterary

    n.the exchange of ideas or social contact between people.

    n.social intercourse or dealings between different people or groups in society.

    Simple

    He preferred the quiet of the countryside to the busy commerce of city life.

    In context

    The philosopher argued that meaningful intellectual commerce between rival schools of thought was essential for scientific progress.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Archaic

    v.to buy and sell goods; to do business.

    v.to engage in trade or traffic; to carry on the exchange of commodities.

    Simple

    In the old stories, merchants would commerce in spices and silk across the desert.

    In context

    The chartered company was granted the exclusive right to commerce with the islands of the East Indies.

Tributes to the former premier recalled his spirited style and his efforts to integrate China into global commerce, in contrast with the rigidity of the Xi era.

The New York Times· 13 Aug 2026

It established that the label belonged to the world of 19th-century Pacific commerce, not the tightly controlled Canton trading system of the 1770s.

Phys.org· 11 Aug 2026
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Common
Updated