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Glite Dictionary
Commerce Department

Commerce Department

35 3.7
A U.S. government department that promotes and regulates trade and runs agencies like the Census and Patent Office
  • proper noun
  • /ˈkɒmɜrs dɪˈpɑrtmənt/
  • US
: Departamento de Comercio (EE. UU.)
  • NIST is an agency of the Commerce Department's Technology Administration.
  • a Commerce Department report
  • the Commerce Department says
  • U.S. Commerce Department

Now the Commerce Department says it will not shut down TikTok to enforce Trump's order.

Examples

  • Accordingly, his administration has designated the Commerce Department to assist U.S. industry in sharpening the country's technological edge.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Similarly, the Commerce Department closed the market to imported liquid crystal displays because the domestic industry instituted a dumping case.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Retail sales rose 1.1 percent last month, the Commerce Department said Monday.

    Blog text (29)

  • In the Commerce Department, there have been two approaches that capture part of what we are doing.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Retail sales dropped 0.3 percent last month after three months of gains, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

    Blog text (30)

  • Now the Commerce Department says it will not shut down TikTok to enforce Trump's order.

    Meet Kevin

  • For example, Simon Kuznets of the NBER developed the system of national income accounts for the Commerce Department.

    Academic text (1992)

  • The two U.S. panelists dissented and would have upheld the Commerce Department's finding.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Manufacturers are obliged to consult Commerce Department experts before shipment commences.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The Commerce Department announced new regulations to improve trade efficiency.

Synonyms

Commerce
vsCommerce Department
  • US
112 3.5

A United States government department that promotes trade and runs the census and the patent office

is the full formal name rather than the brief common form
Department of Commerce
vsCommerce Department
  • Formal
10 3.8

A United States government department that promotes and makes rules for trade and runs the national census and patent office

is the same entity but expressed with a shorter label
DoC
vsCommerce Department
  • Formal
1 6.5

A US government department that promotes trade, runs the census, and oversees patents

is the full name used instead of the shortened abbreviation

Surface Forms

Commerce Department main

Morphology

Commerce + department

The meaning 'a government department responsible for commerce/trade' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'Commerce' (trade) with 'department' (an organizational unit). The 'X Department' naming pattern is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the MWE's basic meaning even without knowledge of specific agencies.

Etymology

Commerce Department comes from two simple words: commerce meaning 'buying and selling' and department meaning a part or office of government. So the Commerce Department is the government office that handles a country's trade, exports, and other trade-related offices.