Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Auction has 5 different meanings across 2 categories:
a variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge
"The club decided to abandon their old trick-auction system because most players had switched to modern contract bridge."
the public sale of something to the highest bidder
"The antique vase was sold at auction, fetching a record price when the bidding reached its peak."
A public event where goods or property are sold to the highest bidder.
"We waited in line for hours hoping to win the antique vase at the charity auction."
In plain English: An auction is an event where people bid against each other to buy something, and the highest bidder wins it.
"The antique vase was sold at auction for much more than its estimated value."
Usage: Use "auction" as a noun to describe a public sale in which items are offered to the highest bidder. You can refer to the event itself, such as an art auction, or use it metonymically to mean the bidding process where prices rise incrementally.
sell at an auction
"The antique clock will be sold at an auction next Tuesday evening."
To sell at an auction.
"The rare painting will be sold at auction next Friday evening."
In plain English: To auction something means to sell it by letting people bid against each other until the highest offer wins.
"The collector decided to auction his rare stamps online."
Usage: To auction something means to put it up for sale where the highest bidder wins. Use this verb when describing the act of conducting a public sale rather than simply selling an item privately.
The word comes from the Latin auctio, meaning an increase. It entered English through French to describe a sale where prices are raised by bidding.