What is the Latin word for trade?

The usual Latin words for “trade” are mercor, mercātiō, negōtium; also commercium. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“trade” in Latin

mercorto trade, deal, sell mercātiōa dealing in wares, a trading negōtiumbusiness, employment, occupation, affair; difficulty, pains, trouble, labor; matter, thing (= πρᾶγμα (prâgma))commerciumTrade, traffic, commerce, exchange.; Intercourse, communication, correspondence, fellowship.; The right to trade as a me

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

trade s.

mercatura (especially of the merchant): mercatio (commercial transaction, buying and selling, Gell., 3, 3): negotium, or, plur., negotia (the business which anybody carries on, especially as corn-merchant or money-lender): commercium (commercial intercourse, Sall., Jug., 18, 6; Plin., 33, 1, 3; with anything, alicujus rei, Plin., 12, 14, 30; then also = freedom of trade). Wholesale trade, mercatura magna et copiosa: retail trade, mercatura tenuis. To carry on a trade, rem gerere: rem gerere et lucrum facere (of a lucrative business): mercaturam or (of several) mercaturas facere (especially of foreign trade): negotiari (by buying and selling; of money-lenders, corn-factors, etc.): to carry on a trade in anything, vendere or venditare aliquid: commercium alicujus rei facere (e.g., turis, Plin.). To carry on a large wholesale trade, mercaturam facere magnam et copiosam. To go to Tarentum for purposes of trade, abire Tarentum ad mercaturam: the spirit of trade, mercandi studium or cupiditas (Vid: Cic., De Rep., 2, 47): quaestus studium (desire of gain): the Roman merchants carry on a trade with Gaul, Romani mercatores ad Gallos commeant.

trade v.

Vid: “to carry on a trade,” in the preceding word.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for trade?: The usual Latin words for “trade” are mercor, mercātiō, negōtium; also commercium. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.