arbitrage

/ˌɑrbəˈtrɑʒ/

Other forms: arbitraging; arbitraged

"Buy low, sell high" is the mantra of the stock market. Perhaps the most extreme example of this is arbitrage, the act of buying and selling goods simultaneously in different markets to gain an immediate profit. Impressive, but tricky.

Although the meaning of the word arbitrage as used today is relatively new, dating back to the late 19th Century, the word itself can be traced back to the Latin arbitrārī, with the meaning "to regulate." In English, arbitrage first meant "using personal judgment." If you practice arbitrage, you'll need to use great personal judgment in dealing with varying stock prices. Remember to pronounce the last syllable "trahzh," as if it were French.

Definitions of arbitrage

1. noun

   a kind of hedged investment meant to capture slight differences in price; when there is a difference in the price of something on two different markets the arbitrageur simultaneously buys at the lower price and sells at the higher price
   types:

   risk arbitrage, takeover arbitrage

   arbitrage involving risk; as in the simultaneous purchase of stock in a target company and sale of stock in its potential acquirer; if the takeover fails the arbitrageur may lose a great deal of money

   type of:

   investing, investment

   the act of investing; laying out money or capital in an enterprise with the expectation of profit
2. verb

   practice arbitrage, as in the stock market
   type of:

   merchandise, trade

   engage in the trade of