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

The area is renowned for being one of the most picturesque in Los Angeles, boasting a beautiful reservoir with a large walking loop around the outside, as well as multiple boutique stores and restaurants.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

Marsh said that affluent kids of the time were drawn to Giorgio Beverly Hills, a boutique on Rodeo Drive that was known as a hot spot for the wealthy and famous.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

After opening his boutique, he designed for many stars included Mick and Bianca Jagger, Jane Birkin and Natalie Wood.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The company, he said, will open a "cultural, artistic, fashion, art, retail food experience" in Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the ornate 19th century shopping arcade where the first Prada boutique opened in 1913.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

She let go of one of his hands but still held the other as she led him into the boutique.

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar

We would be sipping ice-cold spritzes at cafés overlooking the Mediterranean, frolicking down cobblestone streets lined with charming boutiques, and marveling at the frescoes and marble sculptures adorning grand cathedrals.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

Tree-shaded boulevards are lined with flagship Ferrari, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce showrooms, as well as designer boutiques and Michelin-starred restaurants.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

Luxury brands including Bulgari and Fendi have expanded their boutiques, and a condo project, hotel and office buildings are in the works.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 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

I guess we don’t shop at the same boutiques.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Related Words

• booth
• store