brokerage

brokerage — noun

1. a company that handles buying, selling, or arranging deals for clients, especial

1.nounC1
Definition

a company that handles buying, selling, or arranging deals for clients, especially in markets such as shares, insurance, property, or foreign money.

Example

Priya opened an account with an online brokerage before buying her first shares.

collocation: online brokerage

The brokerage on Nanjing East Road helps clients trade US stocks.

Common collocations
  • online brokerage
  • insurance brokerage
  • real-estate brokerage
  • stock brokerage
Synonyms
  • firm

    broader; any business company, not specifically one acting as a broker

  • broker-dealer

    technical, especially in US finance; mainly for securities trading businesses

  • agency

    broader; can arrange many kinds of services, not only market deals

Grammar Patterns

a/an + brokerage

brokerage + in + stocks/insurance/property

Usage Note

Often modified by the market or service it handles, such as stock, insurance, or real-estate. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the work itself rather than the company.

Common Mistakes

She works for a broker in Taichung.
She works for a brokerage in Taichung.
'broker' is one person; 'brokerage' in this sense is the company.

2. the work or trade of connecting buyers and sellers and arranging deals for them,

2.nounC1
Definition

the work or trade of connecting buyers and sellers and arranging deals for them, especially in finance, insurance, or property.

Example

After college, Omar went into brokerage instead of joining his father's shop.

pattern: go into brokerage

Property brokerage kept Ravi busy at Saturday's apartment fair.

Common collocations
  • go into brokerage
  • work in brokerage
  • discount brokerage
  • full-service brokerage
Synonyms
  • broking

    especially British and industry-facing; very close in meaning

  • intermediation

    more formal and broader; common in economics, not only broker trades

  • brokerage business

    more explicit everyday phrase for the profession or commercial activity

Grammar Patterns

go into brokerage

work in brokerage

brokerage + in + market

Usage Note

Usually uncountable when it means the profession or line of business. Distinguish from sense 1, which refers to the company, and from sense 3, which refers to the payment.

Common Mistakes

She started a brokerage in art sales.
She started a brokerage business in art sales.
bare 'a brokerage' usually points to the company in sense 1, not the line of work.

3. money paid to a broker for arranging a sale, trade, or similar deal.

3.nounC1
Definition

money paid to a broker for arranging a sale, trade, or similar deal.

Example

The contract requires the seller to pay 1% brokerage on the deal.

pay brokerage on + deal

Our lawyer checked whether the brokerage was already included in the price.

Common collocations
  • pay brokerage
  • charge brokerage
  • brokerage fee
  • brokerage commission
Synonyms
  • commission

    the most common word when the payment is a percentage of the deal

  • fee

    broader; can be a fixed amount and not limited to broker work

  • charge

    very general; focuses on what appears on the bill

Grammar Patterns

pay brokerage on + deal/sale

charge brokerage for + service

how much brokerage

Usage Note

Often appears with pay, charge, include, receive, and due, especially in contracts, bills, and account statements. Distinguish from sense 2, which refers to the business rather than the charge itself.

Common Mistakes

The bill shows the broker, tax, and shipping separately.
The bill shows the brokerage, tax, and shipping separately.
'broker' is the person; 'brokerage' here is the fee.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun/1, brokerage is the broad word for a company that acts for clients in buying, selling, or arranging deals. Brokerage firm is a slightly clearer everyday phrase, especially when you want to stress that it is a business company. Broker-dealer is more technical and is mainly used in US securities markets for a licensed business that both trades and acts for clients. Agency is much broader: a travel agency or advertising agency may arrange services, but it is not necessarily involved in financial or property deals. A useful contrast is: 'She opened her account with an online brokerage,' but 'The bank sold its broker-dealer unit last year.'

brokerage ↗brokerage firmbroker-dealeragency ↗

Etymology

Anglo-FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Brokerage was formed in English from broker and the ending -age, which often makes nouns for an activity, system, or charge. The older word broker entered Middle English from Anglo-French, where it referred to a dealer or middleman. From that base, brokerage came to name both the business done by brokers and the fee earned for that work.