bazaar
Americannoun
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(esp in the Orient) a market area, esp a street of small stalls
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a sale in aid of charity, esp of miscellaneous secondhand or handmade articles
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a shop where a large variety of goods is sold
Etymology
Origin of bazaar
1590–1600; earlier bazarro < Italian ≪ Persian bāzār market
Explanation
A bazaar is a market that has rows and rows of little shops selling miscellaneous stuff — like tube socks, velvet paintings, and corn on the cob. Bazaar is originally a Persian word, and means "marketplace" all over the Middle East. The word was picked up by the Italians, and spread through Europe and into English. At a bazaar in Istanbul, you'd find food, electronics, clothes — useful stuff. In English, we tend to use bazaar for something closer to a flea market. Although they sound alike, bazaar has no relation to bizarre (the super weird).
Vocabulary lists containing bazaar
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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Commonly Confused Words, List 3
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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.
Within this spiritual bazaar, fashion became a place where people could reimagine Christian symbols, figures and history in new ways.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
It looked disorientingly familiar to a fellow Egyptian American: Art from Egypt lined the walls, with brass pieces and calligraphy you’d find in a Cairo bazaar.
From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026
Now open 365 days, as the sign on Olympic Boulevard states, Santee Alley is our very own bazaar.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026
The palace and the bazaar are both located near a complex housing Iran's judiciary and Supreme Court.
From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026
The shape of one particular bald head looked like Smithy’s, and the singular stench of Rasseem’s teeth, which outwrestled all other scents in the fragrant bazaar, meant that he was nearby as well.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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.
