Trade

/treɪd/

Meaning & Definition

noun
The action of buying, selling, or exchanging goods and services.
The trade between the two countries has increased significantly over the past year.
A skilled job, typically one requiring manual skills and special training.
She learned the trade of carpentry from her father.
A particular area of business or industry.
The tech trade is constantly evolving with new innovations.
verb
To buy and sell goods and services.
They decided to trade their old car for a newer model.
To exchange one thing for another.
He offered to trade his baseball cards with his friend.

Etymology

Middle English: from Old English 'trade', which originally meant 'track, path'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

trade-off:
A compromise between two desirable but mutually exclusive features.
trading posts:
Places or establishments where goods are exchanged.
day trading:
The practice of buying and selling financial instruments within the same trading day.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

To make a trade or deal, especially informally.
Hey, let's trade some cards during lunch!
To switch or exchange something casually.
I traded my sandwich for his chips.