ENGLISH
REFERENCE

economic

adj.
US //ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk// UK //ˌiːkənˈɒmɪk// eco·nom·ic
  1. 1 profitable (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    making enough money to be worth doing.

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

    Example

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

    Example

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

  2. 2 related to the study of economics (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Academic

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

    relating to the academic discipline of economics.

    Example

    She is reading a book about different economic theories.

    Example

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

Origin

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

Word family

© 2026 English Reference