market

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, probably from Continental GMC; akin to Old Saxon markat marketplace, Old High German marcāt, both ultimately from Latin mercatus trade, marketplace, from mercari to trade, from merc-, merx merchandise Date: 12th century 1. a. (1) a meeting together of people for the purpose of trade by private purchase and sale and usually not by auction (2) the people assembled at such a meeting b. (1) a public place where a market is held; especially a place where provisions are sold at wholesale <

a farmers' market

> (2) a retail establishment usually of a specified kind <

a fish market

> 2. archaic the act or an instance of buying and selling 3. the rate or price offered for a commodity or security 4. a. (1) a geographic area of demand for commodities or services (2) a specified category of potential buyers <

the youth market

> b. the course of commercial activity by which the exchange of commodities is effected ; extent of demand <

the market is dull

> c. (1) an opportunity for selling <

a good market for used cars

> (2) the available supply of or potential demand for specified goods or services <

the labor market

> d. the area of economic activity in which buyers and sellers come together and the forces of supply and demand affect prices <

producing goods for market rather than for consumption

> II. verb Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to expose for sale in a market 2. sell intransitive verb to deal in a market