com ‧ merce /ˈkɒmɜːs $ ˈkɑːmɜːrs/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: French ; Origin: Latin commercium , from com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + merx 'things to be sold' ]
the buying and selling of goods and services SYN trade :
measures promoting local commerce and industry
⇨ ↑ chamber of commerce , ↑ e-commerce
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THESAURUS
▪ business the activity of making money by producing, buying, or selling goods, or providing services:
Business in Europe has been badly affected by economic conditions in the US.
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He works in the advertising business.
▪ trade the buying and selling of goods and services, especially between countries:
Trade between European countries became easier after the introduction of the Euro.
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a trade agreement
▪ commerce the buying and selling of goods and services. Commerce is more formal than business , and is used when talking about business activities in general:
One of the roles of the federal government is to regulate commerce.
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London became a great centre of commerce.
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the local chamber of commerce (=an organization which the companies and shops in an area belong to)
▪ e-commerce the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet:
E-commerce is a fast-growing part of the US economy.