WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
com•mer•cial /kəˈmɜrʃəl/USA pronunciation
adj. [usually: before a noun]
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Businessof, relating to, or characteristic of commerce:the commercial world.
- Businessengaged in, used for, or suitable to commerce or business:Commercial vehicles include trucks and some vans.
- Businessmade, produced, or marketed to be sold or to make a profit: commercial theater.
- Show Businesspaid for by advertisers: commercial television.
n. [countable]
- Show Businessa paid advertisement or announcement on radio or television:The TV show was interrupted by too many commercials.
com•mer•cial
(kə mûr′shəl),USA pronunciation adj.
n.
com•mer′cial•ly, adv.
- Businessof, pertaining to, or characteristic of commerce.
- Businessengaged in commerce.
- Businessprepared, done, or acting with sole or chief emphasis on salability, profit, or success:a commercial product; His attitude toward the theater is very commercial.
- Businessable to yield or make a profit:We decided that the small oil well was not commercial.
- Communications, Businesssuitable or fit for a wide, popular market:Communications satellites are gradually finding a commercial use.
- Businesssuitable for or catering to business rather than private use:commercial kitchen design; commercial refrigeration.
- (of a vehicle or its use)
- engaged in transporting passengers or goods for profit.
- civilian and public, as distinguished from military or private.
- not entirely or chemically pure:commercial soda.
- catering esp. to traveling salespeople by offering reduced rates, space for exhibiting products, etc.:a commercial hotel.
- Animal Husbandry, Food(in U.S. government grading of beef ) graded between standard and utility.
- paid for by advertisers:commercial television.
n.
- Show Business[Radio and Television.]a paid advertisement or promotional announcement.
- Animal Husbandry, Food(in U.S. government grading of beef )
- a low-quality grade of beef between standard and utility.
- a cut of beef of this grade.
- British Termsa traveling salesperson.
- commerce + -ial 1680–90
- 1. Commercial, mercantile refer to the activities of business, industry, and trade. Commercial is the broader term, covering all the activities and relationships of industry and trade. In a derogatory sense it may mean such a preoccupation with the affairs of commerce as results in indifference to considerations other than wealth:commercial treaties; a merely commercial viewpoint.Mercantile applies to the purchase and sale of goods, or to the transactions of business:a mercantile house or class.
'commercially' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
banana prawn
- bioprospecting
- Burundi
- Cologne
- commercial
- deal
- dry hole
- flat
- good
- home-brew
- Hooghly
- hotel
- mix
- nursery
- prototype
- Reus
- Rwanda
- Saint Lawrence
- wildcat
- Worcester sauce
- agaricus
- bouillon
- brought-on
- Chinese gooseberry
- chum salmon
- coffee
- cyclodiene
- daminozide
- dextrose
- feedgrain
- gluconic acid
- glutamic acid
- haul
- horseradish tree
- hot
- jack-o'-lantern
- kayak
- kit fox
- loaf bread
- methane
- mickey mouse
- photogen
- pink salmon
- pop art
- postcard
- ranch mink
- red feed
- tampon
- testosterone
- torula