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market economy

market economy

93 3.0
A system where people and businesses buy and sell goods and prices are set by supply and demand
  • noun
  • /ˈmɑrkɪt ɪˈkɒnəmi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : economía de mercado
  • In a competitive market economy, prices are set by the forces of supply and demand.
  • free market economy
  • emerging market economy
  • transition to a market economy

This transition to what Deng described as socialist market economy was by no means easy.

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Examples

  • The second basic institution of a market economy is the accounting system.

    Academic text (1991)
  • One of the three basic institutions of a market economy is the legal system.

    Academic text (1991)
  • What kind of solution do we have in a free market economy?

  • The market economy was born.

  • Unfortunately, even in a market economy, the moral does not work that way.

  • But it is also a successful market economy with much freedom to pursue your dreams and live your life as you wish.

  • The first phase of the Polish leap to a market economy is on schedule.

    Academic text (1990)
  • We intend to create a market economy that is subject only to indirect economic regulation.

    Academic text (1991)
  • The features of the market economy are material interests, autonomy, equality, competition, and openness.

    Academic text (1999)
  • In a competitive market economy, prices are set by the forces of supply and demand.

Synonyms

capitalism
vsmarket economy
292 3.8

A system where people or companies own businesses and property to make money

focuses on allocation mainly by supply and demand rather than on ownership for profit
free enterprise
vsmarket economy
30 3.8

A system where private businesses compete and the market sets prices with little government control

focuses on allocation mainly through supply and demand rather than on ownership
private enterprise
vsmarket economy
14 3.9

Businesses owned and run by people or companies, not the government

highlights allocation by supply and demand rather than ownership
capitalist economy
vsmarket economy
4 4.2

An economic system where private people or companies own businesses and try to make money

stresses resource allocation through supply and demand rather than only private profit
laissez-faire economy
vsmarket economy
  • Specialized
7.2

An economy where businesses operate with little government control

emphasizes allocation mainly by supply and demand but allows some regulation

Antonyms

non-market economy
  • Specialized
1 7.9

An economy where the government decides what is made and sets prices instead of markets

How Market-Oriented

laissez-faire economy
  • Specialized
7.2
market economy
  • Specialized
93 3.0
mixed economy
  • Specialized
2 4.1
managed economy
  • Specialized
1 7.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

market + economy

The meaning is directly compositional: 'market' (commerce/trade) modifies 'economy' (the production/distribution system) to indicate an economy organized by markets. This regular noun–noun compound follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Market economy comes from the simple picture of a busy market, where buyers and sellers meet and agree on a price, and the word economy means how a country makes and uses goods and services. So, market economy means a system where what is produced and the prices are decided by people buying and selling — in other words, by 'supply and demand'.