trade route

noun

1
: one of the sea-lanes ordinarily used by merchant ships
2
: a route followed by traders (as in caravans)

Examples of trade route in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In the past, lowland cities such as Bukhara and Samarkand in today’s Uzbekistan were thought to anchor the trade routes between Europe and China (see map, below). Byandrew Lawler, science.org, 23 Oct. 2024 Located on an ancient trade route, the area was long home to merchants and artisans, but not much art. Sakshi Agrawal, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2024 This shows that far beyond the Celtic world there was a group of Celts, with a leader, administrator, who fulfilled a specific function - most likely guarding the trade route. Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 18 Sep. 2024 Supply Chain Disruptions Key Risks: Geopolitical tensions, especially in regions like China and the Middle East, can disrupt global trade routes or production hubs, leading to shortages, delays and higher costs—similar to what the world saw during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lisa Broderick, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for trade route 

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of trade route was in 1828

Dictionary Entries Near trade route

Cite this Entry

“Trade route.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade%20route. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

trade route

noun
1
: one of the sea-lanes used by merchant ships
2
: a route followed by traders (as in caravans)

More from Merriam-Webster on trade route

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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