/ ˈprɒdʌkt; NAmE ˈprɑːd-/ noun
1.
[ C , U ] a thing that is grown or produced, usually for sale :
dairy / meat / pharmaceutical, etc. products
investment in product development
to launch a new product on to the market
( business )
We need new product to sell (= a new range of products) .
—see also end product , gross national product
2.
[ C ] a thing produced during a natural, chemical or industrial process :
the products of the reaction
—see also by-product , waste product
3.
product of sth a person or thing that is the result of sth :
The child is the product of a broken home.
4.
( mathematics ) a quantity obtained by multiplying one number by another :
The product of 21 and 16 is 336.
••
SYNONYMS
product
goods ♦ commodity ♦ merchandise ♦ produce ♦ wares
These are all words for things that are produced to be sold.
product
a thing that is produced or grown, usually to be sold:
to create / develop / launch a new product
goods
things that are produced to be sold:
cotton / leather goods
•
electrical goods
commodity
( economics ) a product or raw material that can be bought and sold, especially between countries:
rice, flour and other basic commodities
merchandise
[U] goods that are bought or sold; things that you can buy that are connected with or advertise a particular event or organization:
official Olympic merchandise
goods or merchandise?
Choose goods if the emphasis is on what the product is made of or what it is for:
leather / household goods
. Choose merchandise if the emphasis is less on the product itself and more on its brand or the fact of buying / selling it.
produce
[U] things that have been grown or made, especially things connected with farming:
We sell only fresh local produce.
wares
things that sb is selling, especially in the street or at a market:
street traders displaying their wares.
NOTE
Wares is used about people in the past who travelled from town to town selling things; when used in a modern context it can suggest that sb is trying to persuade people to buy sth that has not much value.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
to sell / market / export a product / goods / a commodity / merchandise / produce / your wares
to buy / purchase a product / goods / a commodity / merchandise / produce / sb's wares
household products / goods / commodities / wares
consumer / industrial products / goods / commodities
dairy / farm products / produce
luxury products / goods / commodities
a range of products / goods / commodities / merchandise / wares
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (as a mathematical term): from Latin productum something produced, neuter past participle (used as a noun) of producere bring forth, from pro- forward + ducere to lead.