trade | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

189 entries found.

"belief in the principle of abolishing (something)," 1790, in a purely anti-slavery sense (distinguished from opposition to the slave trade); from abolition + -ism.

owl (v.)

"carry on an unlawful or contraband trade at night," 1540s, from owl (n.). Related: Owled; owler; owling.

NAFTA

acronym for North American Free Trade Agreement, negotiated from 1991, signed Dec. 17, 1992, implemented 1994.

luminaire (n.)

electric lighting unit, 1921, a trade term, from French luminaire, from Old French luminarie "lamp, candle; brightness, illumination" (see luminary).

mart (n.)

"a market, a place of sale or traffic, a gathering for buying and selling," mid-15c., a contraction of market (n.) probably influenced by its Middle Dutch cognate markt, from Latin mercatus "trade."

escalator (n.)

1900, American English, trade name of an Otis Elevator Co. moving staircase, coined from escalade + -ator in elevator. Figurative use is from 1927 (in advertising).

handle (v.)

Middle English hondlen, handlen, "touch with the hands, hold in the hands, fondle, pet," also "to deal with, treat, manhandle," from Old English handlian "to touch or move with the hands," also "deal with, discuss;" formed from hand (n.), perhaps with a frequentative suffix, as fondle from fond. Cognate with Old Norse höndla "to seize, capture," Danish handle "to trade, deal," Old High German hantalon "feel, touch; manage," German handeln "to bargain, trade." Related: Handled; handling. Meaning "to act towards" (someone, in a certain manner, usually with hostility or roughness) is from c. 1200. The commercial sense "to trade or deal in" was weaker in English than in some other Germanic languages, but it strengthened in American English (by 1888) from the notion of something passing through one's hands, and see handler.

merchandise (n.)

mid-13c., marchaundise, "trading, commerce, action or business of buying and selling goods or commodities for profit;" mid-14c., "commodities of commerce; wares, movable objects, and articles for sale or trade," from Anglo-French marchaundise, Old French marcheandise "goods, merchandise; trade, business" (12c.), from marchaunt "merchant" (see merchant). The plural had become obsolete in English by late 19c.

Kiwanis

businessmen's and professionals' society, formed in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., in 1915, the meaning and etymology of the name is obscure; early accounts of the clubs claim it is an Indian word meaning "barter, trade."

slump (n.)

"act of slumping, slumping movement," 1850; "heavy decline in prices on the stock exchange," 1888, from slump (v.). Generalized by 1922 to "sharp decline in trade or business."

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