Etymology

commodity

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Today it means: Anything movable (a good) that is bought and sold. Full definition →

First used 15th c.Middle English commoditee ← Anglo-Norman commoditee ← Latin commoditās
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincom-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*med-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*médos
  8. Proto-Italic*medos
  9. Latinmodus
  10. Latincommodus
  11. Latincommoditās
  12. Anglo-Normancommoditee
  13. Middle Englishcommoditee
  14. English todaycommodity

Inherited from Middle English commoditee, borrowed from Anglo-Norman commoditee, from Latin commoditās.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 15th c. Anything movable (a good) that is bought and sold.
  • from 15th c. Something useful or valuable.
  • 15th–19th c. Convenience; usefulness, suitability.
  • 16th–19th c. Self-interest; personal convenience or advantage.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.