auction — a public sale where goods are sold to the highest bidder
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a public sale where goods are sold to the highest bidder
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈɔːkʃən/
Example Sentences
- My dad accidentally bid on his own laptop at the police auction.
- The rare baseball card went for $50,000 at the sports memorabilia auction.
- She nervously raised her paddle at her first art auction.
auction
NOUN[/ˈɔːkʃən/]
a public sale where goods are sold to the highest bidder

The auction room erupts as bidders raise paddles for the rare painting.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin 'auctio', which comes from the verb 'augere' meaning 'to increase' or 'to grow'. The practice originated in ancient Rome, where war captives and spoils were systematically sold to the highest bidder through progressive price increases.
Breakdown
Latin 'auctio' (increase, sale) + '-tion' (action, process); the root 'augere' (to increase) reflects the core mechanism of bidding upward in price.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My dad accidentally bid on his own laptop at the police auction.”
“The rare baseball card went for $50,000 at the sports memorabilia auction.”
“She nervously raised her paddle at her first art auction.”
“The charity auction raised over a million dollars for the local hospital.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.