commodity
noun
com·mod·i·ty
kə-ˈmä-də-tē 
plural commodities
1
: an economic good: such as
a
: a product of agriculture or mining
agricultural commodities like grain and corn
b
: an article of commerce especially when delivered for shipment
reported the damaged commodities to officials
c
: a mass-produced unspecialized product
commodity chemicals
commodity memory chips
2
b
: convenience, advantage
… the many commodities incidental to the life of a public office …—
Charles Lamb
Charles Lamb3
: a good or service whose wide availability typically leads to smaller profit margins and diminishes the importance of factors (such as brand name) other than price
4
: one that is subject to ready exchange or exploitation within a market
… stars as individuals and as commodities of the film industry.—Film Quarterly
Film QuarterlyExamples of commodity in a Sentence
agricultural commodities like grain and corn
Oil is a commodity in high demand.
Patience is a rare commodity.
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, some technical analysts have shifted their preference to gold miners over the physical commodity, saying there’s further upward momentum for the group.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025
As cannabis becomes a regulated global commodity—spanning pharma, exports and healthcare—the U.S. risks falling behind.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Most commodities, including oil, are priced in dollars.
—Erika Page, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump’s 145 percent tariff on imports from China and China’s 125 percent reciprocal tariffs on U.S. goods could reroute a significant share of China’s demand for American commodities.
—Sarah Sax, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commodity
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Sarah Min, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025
As cannabis becomes a regulated global commodity—spanning pharma, exports and healthcare—the U.S. risks falling behind.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Most commodities, including oil, are priced in dollars.
—Erika Page, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump’s 145 percent tariff on imports from China and China’s 125 percent reciprocal tariffs on U.S. goods could reroute a significant share of China’s demand for American commodities.
—Sarah Sax, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commodity
Cite this Entry
“Commodity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commodity. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commodity
noun
com·mod·i·ty
kə-ˈmäd-ət-ē
plural commodities
1
: a product of agriculture or mining
2
: an article that is bought and sold in commerce
Legal Definition
commodity
noun
com·mod·i·ty
kə-ˈmä-də-tē
plural commodities
: a class of economic goods
especially
: an item of merchandise (as soybeans) whose price is the basis of futures trading
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