bodega

American  

[boh-dey-guh, baw-the-gah] / boʊˈdeɪ gə, bɔˈðɛ gɑ /

noun

plural

bodegas

1. a small, independent or family-owned grocery store, usually located in a densely populated urban environment, traditionally serving a Hispanic clientele.

2. (in Spain)

   1. a wineshop.

   2. a warehouse for storing or aging wines.

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bodega British  

/ boˈðeɣa, bəʊˈdiːɡə /

noun

1. a shop selling wine and sometimes groceries, esp in a Spanish-speaking country

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Etymology

Origin of bodega

First recorded in 1845–50 bodega for def. 2; 1965–70 bodega for def. 1; from Latin American Spanish, Spanish “wine cellar, wine shop,” from Latin apothēca “storehouse”; apothecary

Example Sentences

Waymo also sparked a media frenzy when one of its cars accidentally killed a beloved bodega cat in San Francisco, which was reignited when a robotaxi ran over a small dog some weeks later.

From MarketWatch

Cardi B, “Bodega Baddie” I am tired of celebrities pretending that they go to the bodega for street cred: “if you know, you know.”

From Los Angeles Times

We try a tight corner off the square, a bodega with hanging leather wineskins and plenty of barrels, and finally win a spot at the small counter.

From Salon

Since Arias bought the deli in 2021, he has had to stock a bodega for the dual clientele that Lee clocked nearly four decades ago.

From The Wall Street Journal

McCarthy says Atlantic City doesn’t even have a “full grocery store,” most residents rely on bodegas or smaller markets for grocery shopping.

From Salon

Related Words

• convenience store
• trading post