commercial
Definitions
Relating to trade and business; intended to make a profit
商业的，商用的；以盈利为目的的
An advertisement broadcast on television or radio
（电视或广播的）商业广告
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcommerce (trade) + -ial (relating to) = 'relating to trade.' That covers the adjective: commercial flights, commercial property. The noun sense is a neat side-step: since broadcasters sell airtime, a paid spot between programs is itself a piece of commerce — so a 'commercial' came to mean the advertisement.
Root merx still carries 9 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.commercial break广告时段
- 2.commercial property商业地产
- 3.commercial flight商业航班
- 4.commercial success商业上的成功
Example Sentences
- 1.
The building was rezoned for commercial use rather than housing.
- 2.
The film was a huge commercial success even though critics hated it.
- 3.
I muted the TV during the commercial and made some tea.
Easily Confused
commercial (n.) vs advertisement/ad — a commercial is specifically a broadcast (TV/radio) ad. An advertisement (ad) is the general word and covers print, online, billboards too. You watch a commercial, but you click an online ad — you wouldn't call a magazine page a 'commercial.'