# commerce

Pronunciation: US say "KOM-urs" /ˈkɑ.mɚs/; UK say "KOM-uhs" /ˈkɒm.əs/

## Noun

1. The buying and selling of goods on a large scale, especially trade in merchandise between different places or communities.
   - Simple: The buying and selling of goods, often between different towns or countries.
   - _The city grew rich on commerce flowing through its harbor._
   - _Global commerce depends on reliable shipping routes and stable currencies._
2. Social dealings between people or groups; the exchange of conversation and familiarity in society.
   - Simple: The ways people meet, talk, and deal with one another.
   - _Years of friendly commerce between the two families created lasting bonds._
   - _Her letters reveal the rich commerce of ideas among the writers of her circle._
4. A French card game of the 18th century in which players exchange or trade cards.
   - Simple: An old French card game in which players swap and trade cards.
   - _The guests gathered around the table for a few rounds of commerce._
   - _He lost a week's wages at commerce in a Paris gambling house._

## Verb

Pronunciation: say "kuh-MURS" US /kəˈmɝs/, UK /kəˈmɜːs/

3. To carry on trade; to traffic in goods with others. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To trade, buying and selling goods with others.
   - _Foreign vessels came to commerce with the colony each spring._
   - _The two cities commerced peacefully for generations._
5. To hold conversation; to communicate and exchange ideas with another. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To talk with someone and share thoughts and news.
   - _Scholars would commerce freely about new ideas in the evening salons._
   - _He commerced with strangers as easily as with old friends._

## Noun

6. A discreet, indirect word for sexual intercourse between people. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: An old, polite word for sex between people.
   - _The diary alludes discreetly to commerce between the master and a servant._
   - _He was accused of unlawful commerce with another man's wife._

## Origin

Borrowed from Middle French commerce, which came from Latin commercium. It is a doublet of comess.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/commerce (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).