Word
commodity
Phoneticscom·mod·i·ty, stress on the second syllable
US/kəˈmɑdəti/
UK/kəmˈɒdɪti/
Definitions
01raw materials
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science Academic
n. a raw material or agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper, coffee, or oil.
n. a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold in large quantities on specialized exchanges.
日本語:商品※
“The country's economy depends heavily on the export of oil, its main commodity.”
“Fluctuations in global commodity prices, particularly for wheat and corn, can have immediate and devastating effects on food security in developing nations.”
Usage
Often used in the plural when referring to the market as a whole.
02something useful
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. something that is useful or valued.
n. a useful or valuable thing; often used metaphorically for abstract concepts like time or information.
“In a busy office, silence is a very rare and precious commodity.”
“In the digital age, personal data has become a highly sought-after commodity for advertisers and tech giants alike.”
Antonyms
03standardized goods
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Mathematics Technical · Academic
n. a product that is the same no matter who produces it, making it easy to trade.
n. a mass-produced, unspecialized product that is interchangeable with others of the same type, typically leading to low profit margins.
“The company struggled because their product became a commodity and they had to lower prices.”
“As personal computers became a commodity, manufacturers were forced to compete almost exclusively on price rather than unique features.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “commodity” in context.
Verb
01. produce a commodity
“The region produces a vast commodity of coffee beans for export.”
verb + noun
02. trade a commodity
“The firm specializes in trading commodities like gold and silver on international exchanges.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. fungible commodity
“Crude oil is a fungible commodity because one barrel is essentially interchangeable with another.”
adj + noun
04. precious commodity
“In the fast-paced world of finance, time is often considered the most precious commodity.”
adj + noun
05. staple commodity
“Rice remains a staple commodity for millions of people across Asia.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. commodity market
“Investors often turn to the commodity market to hedge against inflation.”
noun + noun
07. commodity prices
“Global commodity prices surged following the disruption of supply chains.”
noun + noun
08. trading of commodities
“The regulations were designed to oversee the transparent trading of commodities.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“The commodity price surge matters significantly in supermarkets, but less so in cafes, which are now in the business of selling experiences, rather than drinks.” “But Suryawanshi’s point is that stories matter: the snow leopard has become a commodity in the way that Everest has, a mountain to be summited.” Etymology
From Middle English commoditee, from Anglo-Norman commoditee, from Latin commoditās.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/commodity
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0