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

Etymology

Origin of dealership

First recorded in 1915–20; dealer + -ship

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

Carvana’s initial answer is now on display at the Dallas dealership it purchased about nine months ago.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026

The dealer, Quakertown Mitsubishi in Quakertown, Pa., did offer a $2,000 discount if the buyer financed through the dealership.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

The mid-air collision occurred in Rio de Janeiro, with one of the helicopters landing in the parking lot of a car dealership, the AP reports.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026

The helicopters collided in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a western suburb of Rio de Janeiro, then plummeted into the parking lot of an electric car dealership, setting ablaze around 20 cars, firefighters said.

From Barron's • Jun. 14, 2026

The parking lot of their school looks like a luxury car dealership, stuffed with BMWs, a few Porsches and Jaguars thrown in.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti