# commerce

/ˈkɑmɝs/ (US) · /kˈɒmɜːs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/commerce
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. buying and selling

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

- The new treaty was designed to encourage commerce between the two nations.
- The rise of digital platforms has fundamentally transformed global commerce, allowing small artisans to reach international markets with minimal overhead costs.

### 2. social interaction

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

the exchange of ideas or social contact between people.

For teachers: social intercourse or dealings between different people or groups in society.

- He preferred the quiet of the countryside to the busy commerce of city life.
- The philosopher argued that meaningful intellectual commerce between rival schools of thought was essential for scientific progress.

### 3. to trade

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to buy and sell goods; to do business.

For teachers: to engage in trade or traffic; to carry on the exchange of commodities.

- In the old stories, merchants would commerce in spices and silk across the desert.
- The chartered company was granted the exclusive right to commerce with the islands of the East Indies.

## Examples

- The city has been a center of international commerce for centuries.
- New trade agreements were signed to encourage commerce between the two neighboring nations after years of restricted borders.
- The rise of digital platforms has fundamentally altered the nature of global commerce, allowing small businesses to reach international markets that were previously accessible only to multinational corporations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.