Etymologically
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commercium

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 06:13. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔmˈmɛr.ki.ũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [komˈmɛr.t͡ʃi.um][1]

Forms

commercium n (genitive commerciī or commercī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from con- (“together”) and merx “goods” with the suffix -ium.[2][1][3] An archaic form ⟨commircium⟩ is cited by a grammarian.[2] Isidore of Seville derived it from ⟨merces⟩, goods for sale.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of dealings and relationships.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant buying and selling, trade, commerce, as in Cicero and Livy, exchange, and the right to trade, as in Cicero.[2][5] It meant purchased goods, military supplies, trade routes, and a giving and taking, exchange, with commercium linguae “converse”, as in Livy.[2] It meant dealings, relationship, as in Plautus, sexual intercourse, and the common use of something, as in Suetonius.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant dealing, business, commerce, correspondence.[6] In Medieval Latin it meant merchandise, what is given in exchange, gain, and a transaction.[7][8] It survives in French commerce, Italian commercio and Spanish comercio.[1] English commerce came through French in the 1530s, first meaning “social intercourse”.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of dealings.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of trade and of the right to trade.[2][3]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of converse.[2][3]
  • 1530s – English commerce is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Trade, commerce.[2]
  2. The right to trade.[2]
  3. Goods; trade routes.[2]
  4. Exchange; converse.[2]
  5. Dealings, intercourse.[2]
  6. Common use.[2]

Word family

  • commerciālis
  • commercior

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com