Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COM'MERCE, n. [Fr. commerce; L. commercium; con and mercor, to buy; merx, mereo. See Class Mr, No. 3. It. commercio; Sp. comercio; Port. commercio. Formerly accented on the second syllable.]

1. In a general sense, an interchange or mutual change of goods, wares, productions, or property of any kind, between nations or individuals, either by barter, or by purchase and sale; trade; traffick. Commerce is foreign or inland. Foreign commerce is the trade which one nation carries on with another; inland commerce, or inland trade, is the trade in the exchange of commodities between citizens of the same nation or state. Active commerce. [See Active.]
2. Intercourse between individuals; interchange of work, business, civilities or amusements; mutual dealings in common life.
3. Familiar intercourse between the sexes.
4. Interchange; reciprocal communications; as, there is a vast commerce of ideas. – D. Webster.