marketing
UK[ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ]US[ˈmɑːrkɪtɪŋ]
n
The activities a company uses to promote and sell its products or services, including market research and advertising.
n
The business or skill of presenting, advertising, and selling a company's products or services in the best possible way.
Morpheme Breakdown
market
ing
market
market
ing
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'marketing' is built upon the core concept of the 'market'. Its journey begins with the Latin noun mercatus, meaning 'trade' or 'a marketplace', which itself derives from the verb mercari, 'to trade'. This term passed into various Germanic and Romance languages, evolving into the Middle English 'market' from Old North French. The addition of the Old English agentive and gerundial suffix '-ing' transforms the base word into a noun that encapsulates the entire process, activity, and business function associated with bringing goods to market. Thus, from the ancient concrete notion of a physical trading place, 'marketing' has evolved to represent the modern, abstract set of strategies and processes for creating, communicating, and delivering value in commerce.
Analysis
Structure: market (market) + ing (noun suffix)
- market: From Latin mercatus (trading, buying and selling, market), via Old North French market. Functions as the core noun/verb root.
- ing: From Old English -ing, -ung, a suffix forming nouns from verbs, indicating an action, process, or its result. Functions as a nominalizing suffix.
Examples
She has a degree in marketing and works for a major advertising firm.
Digital marketing has become essential for reaching younger consumers.
Their marketing campaign successfully increased brand awareness by 40%.