product

prod‧uct S1 W1 /ˈprɒdʌkt $ ˈprɑː-/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑produce, ↑producer, ↑product, ↑production, ↑reproduction, ↑productivity; adjective: ↑productive ≠ ↑unproductive, ↑counterproductive, ↑reproductive, ↑reproducible; verb: ↑produce, ↑reproduce; adverb: ↑productively]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: productum, from the past participle of producere; ⇨ ↑produce¹]
1. [uncountable and countable] something that is grown or made in a factory in large quantities, usually in order to be sold
agricultural/dairy/software etc products
consumer products such as VCRs
The London factory assembles the finished product.
He works in marketing and product development.
2. the product of something
a) if someone is the product of a particular background or experience, their character is typical of that background or the result of that experience:
Paula was the product of a sheltered middle-class home.
b) if something is the product of a particular situation, process etc, it is the result of that situation or process:
The report was the product of four years’ hard work.
3. [countable] technical the number you get by multiplying two or more numbers in ↑mathematics
4. [countable] something that is produced through a natural or chemical process:
Hemoglobin is a product of red blood cells.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + product
▪ a commercial product They help firms turn good ideas into commercial products.
▪ a consumer product (=one that is bought by the public) Demand for consumer products has increased.
▪ household products Do you know what chemicals are in household products such as washing powder and paint?
▪ beauty/hair products She doesn’t buy beauty products that have been tested on animals.
▪ dairy/milk products Some people are allergic to dairy products.
▪ meat products meat products like sausages, pies and burgers
▪ the finished product The quality of the finished product is all-important.
■ product + NOUN
▪ product development The money will be used to fund product development.
▪ a product range/line (=the range of things that a company makes and sells) We want to broaden the company’s product line.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ product noun [countable] something that is made or produced in large quantities, usually in order to be sold: consumer products such as mobile phones | dairy products
▪ goods noun [plural] things that are produced in order to be sold, especially for use in the home: They sell furniture and other household goods. | electrical goods | white goods (=large electrical goods used in the home such as washing machines and refrigerators)
▪ commodity noun [countable] formal a type of product or raw material that can be bought and sold – used especially about basic food products, metals, and fuels: The decline in prices for agricultural commodities made the economic situation worse. | All metal was a valuable commodity and was rarely wasted.
▪ merchandise noun [uncountable] formal things that are being sold, especially in shops: Customers are not allowed to handle the merchandise. | Sales of books, videos, and other merchandise have increased.
▪ wares noun [plural] written things that are offered for sale, especially in a market or on the street: In the market, the traders began selling their wares. | Merchants brought their wares from all over the world.
▪ export noun [countable often plural] a product that is sent to a foreign country in order to be sold: US exports rose to $11.935 billion. | At the moment, oil is their biggest export.
▪ import noun [countable often plural] goods that are brought from one country into another to be sold there: The UK clothing industry cannot compete with foreign imports on price.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

product

prod·uct [product products] [ˈprɒdʌkt] [ˈprɑːdʌkt] noun
1. countable, uncountable a thing that is grown or produced, usually for sale
• dairy/meat/pharmaceutical, etc. products
• investment in product development
• to launch a new product on to the market
• (business) We need new product to sell (= a new range of products).

see also end product, gross national product

2. countable a thing produced during a natural, chemical or industrial process
• the products of the reaction

see also by-product, waste product

3. countable ~ of sth a person or thing that is the result of sth

• The child is the product of a broken home.

4. countable, uncountable a cream, jelly or liquid that you put on your hair or skin to make it look better
• This product can be used on wet or dry hair.

• Don't put too much product on your skin.

5. (mathematics) countable a quantity obtained by multiplying one number by another
• The product of 21 and 16 is 336.
Word Origin:
late Middle English (as a mathematical term): from Latin productum ‘something produced’, neuter past participle (used as a noun) of producere ‘bring forth’, from pro- ‘forward’ + ducere ‘to lead’.
Thesaurus:
product noun C, U
• meat/pharmaceutical products
goods • • merchandise • • produce • |economics commodity •
consumer/industrial products/goods/commodities
household products/goods
sell/market/buy/purchase produce/a product/goods/merchandise/a commodity
Collocations:
Business
Running a business
buy/acquire/own/sell a company/firm/franchise
set up/establish/ start/start up/launch a business/company
run/operate a business/company/franchise
head/run a firm/department/team
make/secure/win/block a deal
expand/grow/build the business
boost/increase investment/spending/sales/turnover/earnings/exports/trade
increase/expand production/output/sales
boost/maximize production/productivity/efficiency/income/revenue/profit/profitability
achieve/maintain/sustain growth/profitability
cut/reduce/bring down/lower/slash costs/prices
announce/impose/make cuts/cutbacks
Sales and marketing
break into/enter/capture/dominate the market
gain/grab/take/win/boost/lose market share
find/build/create a market for sth
start/launch an advertising/a marketing campaign
develop/launch/promote a product/website
create/generate demand for your product
attract/get/retain/help customers/clients
drive/generate/boost/increase demand/sales
beat/keep ahead of/out-think/outperform the competition
meet/reach/exceed/miss sales targets
Finance
draw up/set/present/agree/approve a budget
keep to/balance/cut/reduce/slash the budget
be/come in below/under/over/within budget
generate income/revenue/profit/funds/business
fund/finance a campaign/a venture/an expansion/spending/a deficit
provide/raise/allocate capital/funds
attract/encourage investment/investors
recover/recoup costs/losses/an investment
get/obtain/offer sb/grant sb credit/a loan
apply for/raise/secure/arrange/provide finance
Failure
lose business/trade/customers/sales/revenue
accumulate/accrue/incur/run up debts
suffer/sustain enormous/heavy/serious losses
face cuts/a deficit/redundancy/bankruptcy
file for/ (NAmE) enter/avoid/escape bankruptcy
(BrE) go into administration/liquidation
liquidate/wind up a company
survive/weather a recession/downturn
propose/seek/block/oppose a merger
launch/make/accept/defeat a takeover bid
Synonyms:
product
goods • commodity • merchandise • produce
These are all words for things that are produced to be sold.
product • a thing that is produced or grown, usually to be sold: ▪ to create/develop/launch a new product
goods • things that are produced to be sold: ▪ cotton/leather goods ◊ ▪ electrical goods
commodity • (economics) a product or raw material that can be bought and sold, especially between countries: ▪ rice, flour and other basic commodities
merchandise • [U] goods that are bought or sold; things that you can buy that are connected with or advertise a particular event or organization: ▪ official Olympic merchandise
goods or merchandise?
Choose goods if the emphasis is on what the product is made of or what it is for: ▪ leather/household goods. Choose merchandise if the emphasis is less on the product itself and more on its brand or the fact of buying/selling it.
produce • [U] things that have been grown or made, especially things connected with farming: ▪ We sell only fresh local produce.
consumer/industrial products/goods/commodities
household products/goods
farm products/produce
luxury products/goods/commodities
to sell/market a product/goods/a commodity/merchandise/produce
to export a product/goods/a commodity/merchandise
to buy/purchase a product/goods/a commodity/merchandise/produce
Example Bank:
• Ensure you have adequate product descriptions.
• It's hard to find a competing product that is as compelling.
• Ken uses the very best styling products for Jessica's fine hair.
• Like many of his generation, he was a product of Japan's obsession with technology.
• Most companies haven't tested their products on humans yet.
• Our research enables companies to customize and tailor products to suit individual tastes.
• She is president of product management.
• The company is diversifying its product mix to attract new customers.
• The group says it will introduce nine new products before the end of the year.
• They offer a range of niche products online.
• They produce a product that meets the customer's quality requirements.
• They put a lot of time and money into packaging products.
• This new catalogue showcases our product.
• Those who used the products were generally satisfied with the quality.
• We are expanding the product line-up.
• We are introducing premium products to all our clients.
• We are using a lot of outside agencies to help us do product placement.
• We have a good product, but it needs to be marketed better.
• a wide range of beauty products
• agencies giving out promotional products
• an athlete who endorses a product
• an expensive specialty product
• cigarettes and other tobacco products
• everyday household products
• for those still concerned about product safety
• non-toxic cleaning products
• products offered by our insurance companies
• short product life cycles
• the company's flagship product
• the company's new product offerings
• the manufacture of chocolate from cocoa bean to the finished product
• the most successful new product launches of 2003
• the people who create and deliver the products and services
• the right product in the right place at the right time
• We need new product to sell.
• meat/pharmaceutical products