slave trade

noun

: trafficking of enslaved people
especially, in U.S. history : the business or practice of capturing, transporting, selling, and buying enslaved African people for profit prior to the American Civil War

Examples of slave trade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pizarro Santana is a practitioner of Santería, also known as Regla de Ocha or Lucumí, which has roots in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and was brought to Cuba during the transatlantic slave trade. — Delia Sauer, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026 Hoodoo draws heavily on older African religious practices introduced to North America through the transatlantic slave trade from the 16th to the 19th century. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 Leo spoke about his family’s historical links to the transatlantic slave trade on Wednesday in response to a reporter’s question about his American heritage. — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 30 July 2026 Even if an individual did not own shares directly tied to the transatlantic slave trade, the capital generated by the practice was funneled into various pillars of European society, embedded in architecture, statutes, and schools. — Literary Hub, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for slave trade

Word History

First Known Use

1701, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slave trade was in 1701

Rhymes for slave trade

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Browse Nearby Words

slave station
slave trade
slavey
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Cite this Entry

“Slave trade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slave%20trade. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on slave trade

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slave trade

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