Trade Once Meant a Track or Course
Trade is the buying and selling of goods. The word originally meant a path, and the trade winds keep that sense.
Trade is the buying and selling of goods, and also a skilled occupation. It began as a path: Middle Low German *trade* meant a track or course, and English used it for a habitual course of action, then for the course of business a person followed. The *trade winds* preserve the old sense exactly — they were named for blowing in a constant track, not for commerce, though sailing ships came to depend on them. *Jack of all trades* dates from the 1600s.
- Buying and selling. *International trade.*
- A skilled occupation. *Learn a trade.*
- Trade winds — steady winds. *The trade winds.*
- To exchange. *Trade places.*
- Middle Low German — *trade*, a track. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | trade | Trade. |
| Verb | trade | Trade it. |
| Agent | trader | A trader. |
| Compound | tradesman | A tradesman. |
| Compound | trademark | A trademark. |
- Trade between the two countries grew.Commerce.
- He learned a trade as a joiner.Occupation.
- The trade winds blow steadily.Weather.
Why the trade winds are so named
- Trade once meant a regular track or course
- The winds blow in a constant direction, hence the name
- They occur between about 30 degrees north and south
- Sailing ships depended on them for Atlantic crossings
- The commercial association came later, not first
Middle Low German *trade*, a track or course, related to *tread*.
Are the trade winds named after commerce?
No. Trade once meant a regular course, and the winds were named for blowing steadily in one direction. Sailing ships then made them commercially vital.
Are trade and tread related?
Yes. Both come from a Germanic root about stepping and following a path.