Word
merchandise
Phoneticsmer·chan·dise, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmɝtʃənˌdaɪz/
UK/mˈɜːtʃɐndˌaɪz/
Definitions
01commercial goods
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. goods or products that are bought and sold in a business.
n. goods that are offered for sale; commodities in a commercial context. Uncountable in modern usage.
“The shop owner checked the new merchandise for any damage before putting it on the shelves.”
“The wholesaler refused to accept the shipment, claiming that the merchandise did not meet the quality standards specified in the contract.”
Usage
Usually uncountable; 'merchandises' is rare and typically restricted to technical legal or historical contexts.
Synonyms
02branded products
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. products like clothes or bags that have the name or logo of a famous band, team, or movie.
n. commercial goods branded with an entity such as a sports team, musical act, or fictional franchise. Often shortened to 'merch' in informal speech.
“Fans waited in a long line to buy official merchandise after the concert.”
“The studio's revenue from licensed merchandise actually exceeded the box office earnings of the film itself.”
Teaching tip
While 'merchandise' is the formal term, students will frequently encounter the clipped form 'merch' in casual conversation and social media.
03to promote goods
C1 · Advanced Technical
v. to arrange or advertise products in a way that makes people want to buy them.
v. to promote the sale of goods, especially through effective display, packaging, and placement within a retail environment.
“The supermarket uses bright lights and low shelves to merchandise its fresh fruit.”
“Retailers must carefully merchandise their seasonal inventory to ensure maximum visibility during the peak holiday shopping period.”
Usage
Can be used transitively (merchandise a product) or intransitively (to merchandise well).
Real-World Examples
“But the earthquake ravaged his store, wrecking its awning, toppling walls, and crushing merchandise.” “Macy’s innovations included stocking large inventories of many kinds of merchandise, competitive pricing, extensive advertising and providing a variety of services like public restrooms and a cafeteria to make shoppers’ experiences more pleasurable.” Etymology
From Middle English marchaundise (“commerce, trading; buying; business transaction, deal; merchandise, goods, wares; possessions”), from Anglo-Norman marchaundise and Old French marcheandise (modern French marchandise), from Old French marcheant (“seller, vendor”) (ultimately from Latin mercātus (“buying and selling, trade, traffic; market; marketplace”), possibly originally Etruscan) + -ise (suffix forming feminine nouns, often denoting a quality or state). The English word is analysable as merchant + -ise.
From Middle English marchaundisen (“to engage in commerce, traffic”), from marchaundise (noun) (see etymology 1) + -en (suffix forming the infinitive of verbs).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/merchandise