The word "trade" refers to the act of buying, selling, or exchanging goods and services. It can also refer to a specific occupation or profession, especially one that involves manual skills, such as carpentry or plumbing. In a broader sense, "trade" encompasses the economic activities that involve the transfer of goods or services between parties.
The word "trade" comes from the Old English "trade," which means "a path, track," and later evolved to mean "occupational way of life." The term has roots in Middle Dutch and Old Norse words that also relate to choices and paths in trading activities.