boutique
Americannoun
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a small shop or a small specialty department within a larger store, especially one that sells fashionable clothes and accessories or a special selection of other merchandise.
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any small, exclusive business offering customized service.
Our advertising is handled by a new Madison Avenue boutique.
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Informal. a small business, department, etc., specializing in one aspect of a larger industry.
one of Wall Street's leading research boutiques.
adjective
noun
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a shop, esp a small one selling fashionable clothes and other items
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of or denoting a small specialized producer or business
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( as modifier )
a boutique winery
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a small specialized stall or shopping area within a supermarket, esp selling fresh meat, seafood, etc
Etymology
Origin of boutique
1760–70; < French, Middle French, probably < Old Provençal botica, botiga (with Late Greek ē > ī ) < Greek apothḗkē; see apothecary, bottega
Explanation
A boutique is a small shop, especially one that sells women's clothes and jewelry. If you like to shop, you probably love going to all the little boutiques downtown. Boutique comes from a French word of the same spelling, which means any small shop. The word has its roots in the Greek word apotheke, meaning "a warehouse." The same root word also gave rise to the English word apothecary. The word boutique often has an air of exclusivity. The boutiques on Fifth Avenue in New York can be so expensive that you might feel like you can't even afford to walk in the door.
Vocabulary lists containing boutique
English Words Derived from French, List 6
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Starfish
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The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The upcoming SpaceX IPO is currently creating wobbles for other equities, Thomas Lee, managing partner and head of research at the New York-based boutique firm, wrote in a note on Tuesday.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
The Regency home was the former residence of the first Governor of Australia, Lachlan MacQuarrie, but had been decaying for several years until the couple decided to try and convert it into a boutique hotel.
From BBC • May 30, 2026
The targets range from a boutique builder in California to well-known brands including PRS.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
In launching the EV, Ferrari does have to meet European carbon emissions rules, though they’re less strict for boutique makers than mass producers like Toyota or Volkswagen.
From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026
MOP: It looks like it could be a boutique clothing shop.
From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
