Word
commercial
Phoneticscom·mer·cial
US/kəˈmɝʃəɫ/
UK/kəmˈɜːʃəl/
Definitions
01related to business
adj. related to buying and selling goods or services to make a profit.
adj. pertaining to the exchange of goods and services within a market economy, specifically with a focus on profit.
“The city center is full of commercial buildings like shops and offices.”
“The company decided to delay the commercial release of the software until the security vulnerabilities were fully addressed.”
Usage
Usually placed before the noun it describes.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02aviation/transport
adj. used for carrying passengers or cargo for money, rather than for private or military use.
adj. denoting aircraft, flights, or pilots engaged in the transport of passengers or freight for hire.
“He is training hard to get his commercial pilot license.”
“Commercial aviation has seen a significant increase in fuel efficiency due to advancements in engine design over the last decade.”
Synonyms
03an advertisement
n. a short film or audio message that tries to sell you something on TV, radio, or the internet.
n. a broadcast advertisement on television, radio, or digital streaming platforms.
“I hate it when the movie is interrupted by long commercials.”
“The marketing agency produced a high-budget commercial that aired during the championship game to maximize brand exposure.”
Teaching tip
In British English, 'advert' or 'ad' is more common for print and TV, while 'commercial' is standard in American English for broadcast media.
Etymology
From French commercial (“of, or pertaining to commerce”), from Late Latin commercialis, from Latin commercium. By surface analysis, commerce + -ial.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Collocations
Word family
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/commercial