Bargaine

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A mutual agreement over terms, such as a sale or exchange, that both sides accept ; to haggle or negotiate over the terms of such an agreement
2. A deal struck between parties, often over price or conditions ; to dicker or haggle in order to reach an accord
3. An arrangement two parties agree upon, typically concerning trade or payment ; to haggle over the conditions before reaching a settlement

Etymology: Middle English "bargaine" meant a contract or agreement, and it had nothing to do with a bargain price. Its earlier sense was closer to a sale or purchase arrangement, and the word came into English from Old French "bargaigne," a term for a deal, probably linked to "bargaignier," meaning to haggle or traffic. The French verb's origin is uncertain, with some scholars connecting it to Old French "bargagnier" and Old Italian forms, though the exact chain is debated. The bargain's modern sense of a good-value purchase came later. Only from the 1500s did people begin using "bargain" for a cheap item, the sense of a lucrative deal for the buyer, and this developed alongside the older sense of a negotiated agreement. The noun and verb forms both went through the same shift, so the verb "to bargain," meaning to haggle or negotiate, carries the older idea of settling terms between parties.