boutique

American  

[boo-teek] / buˈtik /

noun

boutiques plural

1. 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.

2. any small, exclusive business offering customized service.

   Our advertising is handled by a new Madison Avenue boutique.

3. Informal. a small business, department, etc., specializing in one aspect of a larger industry.

   one of Wall Street's leading research boutiques.

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adjective

1. of, designating, or characteristic of a small, exclusive producer or business.

   one of California's best boutique wineries.

boutique British  

/ buːˈtiːk /

noun

1. a shop, esp a small one selling fashionable clothes and other items

2. 1. of or denoting a small specialized producer or business

   2. ( as modifier )

      a boutique winery

3. a small specialized stall or shopping area within a supermarket, esp selling fresh meat, seafood, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• boutiques
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

boutique boutiques

Analysts Michael Schaus and Matthew Finkelstein at U.S. research boutique Zweig-DiMenna pointed to renewed buying from the Chinese central bank as a very good indication the price might have finally stabilized.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

They have introduced a boutique spa for 2026 as they said demand for wellbeing activities continued to boom and it will offer treatment tents, facials and aromatherapy as "moments of serenity" for festival-goers.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

“The old adage was, ‘Oh, it’s a boutique hotel—they won’t have the service of a larger hotel,’” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

Samimi: I’m wearing Honor the Gift, Russell Westbrook’s brand, a Nike top, my shorts are from a random boutique in L.A. and Jordan shoes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

Old brownstone buildings line a winding hill, each one with an antiques shop, a boutique, or a restaurant.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

The Swiss authorities have permitted a march around a lengthy loop on the north side of the city -- well away from the city centre and its luxury boutiques.

From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026

On a recent afternoon, English-speaking schoolchildren ordered colorful beverages at Starbucks in a slick shopping mall filled with premium boutiques and tech offices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

However, this time one of the usually more bullish strategy boutiques thinks that the gains will not be sustained and that further weakness in equities is likely.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026

It’s a place where people pause to chat up strangers on oak-and-magnolia-draped streets, a place where boutiques sell smocked baby dresses and shirts with phrases such as “Pearls Are Always Appropriate.”

From Slate ● May 4, 2026

Tall, elegant town houses and a few fashion boutiques lined the street, and there was a fancy florist shop on the corner.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Related Words

• booth
• store