LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

commercium

commercium n (genitive commerciī or commercī)
Classical[kɔmˈmɛr.ki.ũː]Ecclesiastical[komˈmɛr.t͡ʃi.um]

Meaning

  1. neuterTrade, traffic, commerce, exchange.
  2. broadlyneuterIntercourse, communication, correspondence, fellowship.
  3. metonymicallyneuterThe right to trade as a merchant, mercantile right.
  4. metonymicallyneuterAn article of trade; merchandise, wares.
  5. metonymicallyneuterA place of trade; marketplace.

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecommerciumcommercia
genitivecommerciī
commercī		commerciōrum
dativecommerciōcommerciīs
accusativecommerciumcommercia
ablativecommerciōcommerciīs
vocativecommerciumcommercia

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

commercium linguae
intercourse of speech.
epistularum commercium
correspondence.
commercium loquendi et audiendi
interchange of ideas; conversation.

com-mercĭum (con-m-; ante-class.; sometimes † commircĭum; cf. Vel. Long. p. 2236 P.), ii, n. merx.
I. Commercial intercourse, trade, traffic, commerce: mare magnum et ignara lingua commercia prohibebant, Sall. J. 18, 5; Plin. 33, 1, 3, § 7; Plin. Pan. 29; Tac. Agr. 24; Liv. 4, 52, 6: salis, id. 45, 29, 13: commercium hominum in locum aliquem mutui usus contrahunt, id. 38, 18, 12: neque Thraces commercio faciles erunt, id. 40, 58, 1: jus commercii, Dig. 49, 5, 6.—
B. Meton.
1. The right to trade as merchants, a mercantile right: commercium in eo agro nemini est, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 40, § 93; cf. id. ib. 2, 2, 50, § 124: L. Crasso commercium istarum rerum cum Graecis hominibus non fuisse, id. ib. 2, 4, 59, § 133: ceteris Latinis populis conubia commerciaque et concilia inter se ademerunt, Liv. 8, 14, 10; 43, 5, 9; cf. Dig. 41, 1, 62; 30, 1, 39; 45, 1, 34.—*
2. An article of traffic, merchandise, wares: commercia militaria, Plin. 35, 13, 47, § 168; for provisions, id. 26, 4, 9, § 18; cf. Front. 2, 5, 14.—
3. A place of trade, market - place: commercia et litora peragrare, Plin. 37, 3, 11, § 45; Claud. in Eutr. 1, 58.—
II. In gen., intercourse, communication, correspondence, fellowship; lit. and trop.: quid tibi mecum est commerci, senex? Plaut. Aul. 4, 4, 4; id. Bacch. 1, 2, 9; id. Stich. 4, 1, 15: mihi cum vostris legibus Nihil est commerci, I have nothing to do with your laws, id. Rud. 3, 4, 20: commercium habere cum Musis, Cic. Tusc. 5, 23, 66: commercium habere cum virtute, id. Sen. 12, 42: dandi et excipiendi beneficii, Val. Max. 5, 3, ext. 3: agrorum aedificiorumque inter se, Liv. 45, 29, 10: plebis, with them, id. 5, 3, 8; 41, 24, 16: linguae, Ov. Tr. 5, 10, 35; Liv. 1, 18, 3; 9, 36, 6; 25, 33, 3: sermonis, id. 5, 15, 5; cf.: loquendi audiendique, Tac. Agr. 2 fin.: commercia epistularum, Vell. 2, 65, 1: hoc inter nos epistularum commercium frequentare, Sen. Ep. 38, 1: communium studiorum, Suet. Claud. 42: sortis humanae, Tac. A. 6, 19: belli, stipulation, treaty, id. ib. 14, 33: belli tollere, Verg. A. 10, 532; so, belli dirimere, Tac. H. 3, 81.—Plur.: est deus in nobis, et sunt commercia caeli, Ov. A. A. 3, 549.—
B. Esp., forbidden intercourse, illicit commerce: libidinis, Val. Max. 8, 2, 2: stupri, Suet. Calig. 36.—Absol.: cum eā mihi fuit commercium, Plaut. Truc. 1, 1, 77.—
2. In law, = collusio, Cod. Th. 3, 11, 4; cf. ib. 11, 4, 1 al.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincommercium

Proto-Italic *merks Latin merx Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -iusnom. Latin -ium Latin commercium From con- (“together, with”) + merx (“merchandise”) + -ium.

Descendants
  • Catalancomerç
  • Englishcommerce
  • Frenchcommerce
  • GermanKommerzfrom French commerce
  • Italiancommercio
  • Portuguesecomércio
  • Romaniancomerț
  • Romaniancomerciu
  • Spanishcomercio
  • Albaniankumerq

Quick answers

What does commercium mean in Latin?
commercium, a noun, means “Trade, traffic, commerce, exchange.; Intercourse, communication, correspondence, fellowship.; The right to trade as a merchant, mercantile right.”.
What is the genitive of commercium?
The genitive singular is commerciī. commercium is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce commercium?
In classical Latin, [kɔmˈmɛr.ki.ũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [komˈmɛr.t͡ʃi.um].
Where does commercium come from?
Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? → Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm → Proto-Italic *kom → Proto-Italic *kom- → Latin commercium.