Commercialisable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Able to be developed, marketed and sold for a profit, such as an idea, invention or product that could earn money
2. Suitable for being made into something that can be sold commercially and generate income for its maker
3. Capable of being exploited for financial gain through production, distribution and sale in the marketplace

Etymology: "Commercialisable" is the British spelling of "commercializable," and it is built in the most straightforward way English builds such words: "commercialise" (or "commercialize") plus the suffix "-able," meaning capable of being done or made into something. To commercialise something is to turn it into a source of trade and profit, so a commercialisable idea or product is one that could be made saleable or marketed for money. The base verb grows out of "commercial," which comes from the Latin "commercium," trade or exchange, formed from "com-" (together) and "merx," merchandise. The suffix "-ise" (or "-ize") is the familiar verb-forming ending that turns a noun or adjective into an action, so "commercialise" means to make something commercial. Attaching "-able" to that verb yields the adjective. The pieces are transparent, so the word needs no special story; it is a recent, productive formation that English speakers can coin wherever a new verb of this kind exists.

Synonyms: marketable, saleable, vendible

Antonyms: unmarketable, unsaleable