slave trade

noun

: trafficking of enslaved people
especially, in U.S. history : the business or practice of capturing, transporting, selling, and buying enslaved African people for profit prior to the American Civil War

Examples of slave trade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Former popes have apologized for Christians’ involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026 The South cried hypocrisy on slavery, given that the seamen of Providence, Rhode Island, played a central role in the Atlantic slave trade. James Traub, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 The museum, formerly a wealthy estate, documents the history of the slave trade in the West and the stories of the African diaspora. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 June 2026 The compromise made acquiescing to the Southern states allowed the slave trade to continue for another two decades. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for slave trade

Word History

First Known Use

1701, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slave trade was in 1701

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Cite this Entry

“Slave trade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slave%20trade. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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