economy

Everyday

1. The system of how money, work, goods and services are made, bought and sold in a country or area. tree →
2. Careful use of money, time or materials so as not to waste them. tree →
3. (adjective-like) Cheaper and simpler (economy class, an economy pack). tree →

In the lessons

In geography and civics, a country's economy (strong economy, farming economy). In everyday life, economy class on planes, economy-size packs that give better value — useful in maths for comparing prices per unit. Phrases: «the economy», «economy class», «economies of scale», «economy pack».

Examples

• The country's economy depends on farming and tourism. tree →
• We flew economy class to save money. tree →
• The economy pack has 24 bars for 6 dollars. tree →
• Tourism is important to New Zealand's economy. tree →
• Writing with economy means using few words. tree →
• When prices rise, the economy can slow down. tree →
• If it was from economy, and you are anxious to teach me not to be wasteful, you have no cause for alarm. tree →

Note

Countable and uncountable. Adjectives: «economic» (to do with the economy) vs «economical» (cheap to use, not wasteful). In maths: compare value with unit price — an economy pack is only cheaper if price ÷ number of items is smaller.