Commercialize

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /kəˈmɚʃəlaɪz/

Definitions

1. To manage or develop something with the intent of making a profit or turning it into a marketable product
2. To adapt or design a product or service for the purpose of generating income through sale or trade
3. To organize or promote an activity or idea with the aim of earning money from it

Etymology: The verb is a plain built word: "commercial" plus the suffix "-ize". "Commercial" reached English through French from the Late Latin "commercialis", which came from Latin "commercium", a compound of "con-" (together) and "merx" (merchandise, goods). So the core idea is goods gathered and exchanged between people. The suffix "-ize" has its own long road. It traces back through Late Latin "-izare" to Ancient Greek "-izein", a verb-forming ending that turned nouns and adjectives into actions, so that "to make something a certain way" became a single word. English took it up in a productive way, letting writers coin new verbs whenever they needed one. The verb is recorded in English with the meaning given here, namely to shape a product or service so that it can be sold for profit. Its formation follows the same pattern as many other English verbs built on "-ize", and it was made directly from the adjective rather than borrowed.

Synonyms: monetize, market