Definition

1. Noun:
   • An article that is offered for sale: This term refers to any tangible item or product that is manufactured, traded, or sold in the market as part of business activity. It is a good or commodity that is the subject of commercial transactions.

Usage

• The term "article of commerce" is a formal or legal phrase used to categorize goods within trade, economics, or law. It emphasizes the item's role as an object of trade rather than its specific nature.
• It is typically used in singular form ("an article of commerce") but can be pluralized ("articles of commerce") when referring to multiple goods.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Crude oil is a vital article of commerce for many nations.
  • The treaty regulated the import of specific articles of commerce.
  • Before the 20th century, spices were highly valuable articles of commerce.

Advanced Usage

• In legal/regulatory contexts: The phrase is often used in laws, treaties, and trade agreements to define the scope of regulated goods.
  • The controlled substance was listed as a prohibited article of commerce.

Variants and Related Words

• Commodity (n): A raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee. While similar, "commodity" often implies a standardized good traded in large quantities, whereas "article of commerce" is a broader, more formal term for any saleable good.
• Merchandise (n): Goods that are bought and sold. This is a more general collective term for commercial goods.
• Goods (n): Plural noun meaning items or products that are produced for sale.

Synonyms

• Trade good
• Commercial product
• Marketable item

Notes

• The phrase "article of commerce" functions as a compound noun. Its meaning is specific to the full phrase; the individual words "article" and "commerce" have much broader definitions on their own.
• This term does not commonly form phrasal verbs or idioms. Its usage is largely confined to its core definition as a noun phrase describing a saleable good.

Noun

1. an article that is offered for sale