bakery

American  

[bey-kuh-ree, beyk-ree] / ˈbeɪ kə ri, ˈbeɪk ri /

noun

bakeries plural

1. Also called bakeshop.  a baker's shop.

2. a place where baked goods are made.

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bakery British  

/ ˈbeɪkərɪ /

noun

1. Also called: bakehouse.  a room or building equipped for baking

2. a shop in which bread, cakes, etc, are sold

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Etymology

Origin of bakery

1535–45; baker + -y ³; now taken as bake + -ery

Explanation

A bakery is a shop that sells bread and other baked goods. Your neighborhood bakery might specialize in frosted cupcakes. Some bakeries are storefronts selling a selection of pies, cakes, breads, and cookies, while others are simply places where these items are made, to be sold in other shops. People who work in a bakery are bakers — their work involves mixing batter, kneading dough, and cooking baked goods in hot ovens. The earlier term was bakehouse, which was replaced in the US by bakery in the 19th century.

Example Sentences

“It’s like I’m going to walk into the local bakery and fall in love with the head baker.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

It’s usually just a humble baker’s rack pushed near the bakery section, but to me, it has the energy of a sample sale.

From Salon • May 22, 2026

Recently, a teenager entered the bakery and slipped him a piece of paper with a phone number on it.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

The sarnie, sold by bakery chain Gail's, contains 6.88g of salt.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

“And, see, here’s my mom’s butterfly logo again,” Finn said, reaching the bottom of the bakery homepage.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix