fair-trade

1 of 2

verb

fair-traded; fair-trading; fair-trades

transitive verb

: to market (a commodity) in compliance with the provisions of a fair-trade agreement
fair trader noun

fair trade

2 of 2

noun

1
: trade in conformity with a fair-trade agreement
2
: a movement whose goal is to help producers in developing countries to get a fair price for their products so as to reduce poverty, provide for the ethical treatment of workers and farmers, and promote environmentally sustainable practices

Examples of fair-trade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Handcrafted by artisans around the world, fair trade UNICEF Market gifts offer another way to support UNICEF. Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 Their duvets are made of organic, fair trade cotton and their down-alternative fill is made in the US. Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 9 May 2025 President Trump wants peace, but also wants fair trade and more self-reliance for the American economy. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025 Trump reiterated this view Wednesday, calling for a fair trade deal. The Hill Staff, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fair-trade

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1947, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fair-trade was in 1914

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fair-trade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fair-trade. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

fair trade

noun
1
: trade conforming to a fair trade agreement
2
: a movement that aims to help producers in developing countries get a fair price for their products so as to reduce poverty, provide for ethical treatment of workers and farmers, and promote environmentally sustainable practices
fair trade verb

Legal Definition

fair-trade

transitive verb
: to market (a commodity) in compliance with the provisions of a fair-trade agreement
fair trade noun
fair trader noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fair-trade

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!