Agency Dictionary

Marketing

nounPronunciation: /ˈmɑːr.kɪ.tɪŋ/

In Portuguese: Marketing

Brand & Marketing

What does “Marketing” mean?

The business activity and strategic discipline of promoting, selling, and distributing products or services to customers.

Etymology

Formed from market with the gerund suffix -ing. Market came into English through Old North French market from Latin mercatus (trade, commerce), derived from merx (merchandise). Marketing in its sense as a business discipline, encompassing the analysis, promotion, and distribution of goods and services, developed in the early 20th century; the older sense of going to a market to trade is earlier.

Usage note

Marketing is distinct from advertising: advertising is one of its tools. The discipline also covers pricing, distribution, product development, and customer research.

Synonyms

promotion
commercialization

Word family

market
marketable
marketer
marketplace

Usage examples

I was in my first year of college studying Marketing and it was after this reflection that I decided I wanted to work as a graphic designer, so my learning began to have a purpose.

Concept

Workplace LearningWorkplace learning is the experiential acquisition of practical skills, professional tacit knowledge, and problem-solving abilities directly within an active business…

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Words of the same theme

Copywriternoun: A professional writer who crafts persuasive texts, slogans, and structured narratives designed to promote ideas, products, or institutional missions. The role bridges creative storytelling and strategic organizational communication.
Consumernoun: An individual or group that acquires, purchases, or consumes physical or commercial goods and services for personal use. In marketing, consumers are studied for purchasing patterns and brand preferences.
briefingnoun: A concise set of instructions or background information provided to guide a project or creative assignment.
recipientnoun: The person who receives something. In communication, the one to whom a message is addressed and who interprets it, as opposed to the sender who composes it.
pain pointnoun: A specific problem, difficulty or frustration that a person experiences when using a product or a service, and that design or marketing sets out to solve.
target audiencenoun: The specific group of people that a message, a product or a campaign is meant to reach, defined by what they have in common, such as needs, habits or interests.
Captivatingadjective: Capable of attracting, holding, or enchanting interest and affection through irresistible charm or aesthetic power.

Also from these editions: terms

Characternoun: A metal block engraved with a letter used in letterpress printing, as well as the intrinsic moral quality and strength of a person.
Impressionnoun: An indentation or mark produced on a surface by pressure, or an effect or feeling produced in someone's mind.
Accuracynoun: The degree of precision, correctness, and exactitude with which a message or action reaches its intended mark.
Antithesisnoun: A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
Frequencynoun: The regular rate at which an event occurs or a message is transmitted over a designated period.
CPMnoun: An acronym for cost per mille, representing the advertising cost of delivering one thousand audience impressions.
Equationnoun: A complex statement or problem involving balancing multiple interdependent factors, variables, or meanings.
autonomynoun: The condition or power of self-governance, independent decision-making, and freedom from external control.
Buttonnoun: A physical or graphical control element that triggers an immediate action or command when pressed or clicked. In software interfaces, buttons communicate system affordances through visual boundaries and labels.
Recessionnoun: A significant and widespread decline in economic activity lasting across several months, typically marked by falling GDP, reduced industrial production, and rising unemployment.
slogannoun: A memorable, catchy phrase used in marketing, politics, or advocacy to encapsulate a core message.
intuitionnoun: The capacity to understand or know something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning or detailed analysis.