bodega
Americannoun
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a small, independent or family-owned grocery store, usually located in a densely populated urban environment, traditionally serving a Hispanic clientele.
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(in Spain)
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a wineshop.
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a warehouse for storing or aging wines.
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noun
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”; see apothecary
Explanation
A bodega is a small corner store or market that sells groceries and wine. Many bodegas are located in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods of large cities. If you visit New York City, you'll see bodegas, little shops where people buy groceries and small items. A bodega is kind of like a convenience store such as 7-11 — it's small and more convenient than a supermarket. If you just need a few items, the bodega is the place to stop. The word bodega means "wine shop" in Spanish, and it shares a root with the French boutique: the Greek apotheke, or "store."
Vocabulary lists containing bodega
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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.
There's a party in the bodega after, and the rugby matches that.
From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026
During the race, he expressed his love of bodega cats, who hang out in New York City convenience stores keeping unwanted pests away.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026
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 • Dec. 24, 2025
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 • Dec. 18, 2025
“Some dudes. We don’t know who. Outside a bodega on the East Side.”
From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore
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.
