English Reference
adjective

economic

adj.
US /ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk/ UK /ˌiːkənˈɒmɪk/ eco·nom·ic

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    making enough money to be worth doing.

    capable of being maintained or justified by profit; financially viable.

    Simple

    The coal mine was closed because it was no longer economic to run.

    In context

    The company decided that the project was no longer economic given the rising costs of raw materials and labor.

    uneconomicunprofitable
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Academic

    related to the science or study of how money and trade work.

    relating to the academic discipline of economics.

    Simple

    She is reading a book about different economic theories.

    In context

    The professor presented a new economic model that accounts for the impact of climate change on global trade routes.

Don't confuse

economic vs economical — Economic describes the system of trade and finance, while economical describes saving money or resources.

Don't confuse

economic vs financial — Economic describes the systems of trade and industry; financial describes the actual money and funding.

Usage economic activity · economic advantage · economic analysis


From Middle French economique, from Latin oeconomicus, from Ancient Greek οἰκονομικός (oikonomikós, “skilled with household management”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Ancient Greek οἰκονομικός
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Very common
Updated