dealership

American  

[dee-ler-ship] / ˈdi lərˌʃɪp /

noun

• dealerships
  plural

1. authorization to sell a commodity.

   He got the dealership for the area after a long investigation into his credit status.

2. a sales agency or distributor having such authorization.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dealerships
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of dealership

First recorded in 1915–20; dealer + -ship

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Explanation

A store that has approval to sell a specific brand of goods is a dealership. If you have your heart set on buying a brand new Harley Davidson motorcycle, you might want to visit a dealership for a test ride. A business is considered a dealership if its owner is authorized to sell a certain item (in other words, they're a dealer of that product). It's most common to talk about car dealerships, whether the cars they sell are new or used, but there are also boat dealerships and recreational vehicle dealerships. This word dates from about 1916, when it was defined as "the business of an authorized trader."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dealership dealerships

His movement was like a balloon man in front of a car dealership and when I look back at the moves, it’s pretty hard to watch, but I guess it was funny at the time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

“The U.K. automotive sector is undergoing a generational change,” said Robert Forrester, chief executive of dealership group Vertu.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

Steve Young, managing director of Auto West London, launched his dealership for Jaecoo and its sister brand Omoda in March last year with a plan to sell 350 cars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

The used car dealership said it 'works hard to resolve problems when they arise'

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

On his desk Golomb has a row of five gold stars, given to him by his dealership in honor of his performance.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Those shops, including chains and mom-and-pop mechanics, are peeling ever more business away from dealerships, known for higher rates, opaque pricing and multiday waits for routine service.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

CarMax owns more than 250 used-car dealerships covering most major markets in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

They can be used for performances and presentations, child care, companionship and customer service assistance at places such as car dealerships and salons.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

Clothing stores, furniture stores and car dealerships may be among the more obvious places to make a deal, but there are some other negotiable goods and services that may be less well known.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

He bought into car and electronics dealerships, too, though it was known that some of the businesses had been troubled in recent years, going without his full attention.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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