delicatessen

American  

[del-i-kuh-tes-uhn] / ˌdɛl ɪ kəˈtɛs ən /

noun

delicatessens plural

1. a store selling foods already prepared or requiring little preparation for serving, as cooked meats, cheese, salads, and the like.

2. Informal. the food products sold in such a store or at a counter.

   We're having delicatessen for dinner.

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delicatessen British  

/ ˌdɛlɪkəˈtɛsən /

noun

1. a shop selling various foods, esp unusual or imported foods, already cooked or prepared

2. such foods

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• delicatessens
  plural

Etymology

Origin of delicatessen

1885–90, < German, plural of Delikatesse dainty < French délicatesse

Explanation

A delicatessen is a small market where you can buy prepared food, sandwiches, sliced meat and cheese, and other food items. Your morning routine might include a stop at the delicatessen for a toasted bagel. A delicatessen is a specialty food shop that often specializes in traditionally Jewish, Italian, or German foods. While you can stock up on bread, milk, and other staples at many delicatessens, they're best known for unusual ethnic foods and prepared sandwiches and salads. The word delicatessen comes from the German delikatessen, which is plural for delikatesse, "delicacy" or "fine food."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

delicatessen delicatessens

The city’s appetizing stores, which first appeared in the late 19th century, are a type of delicatessen that only sells products such as smoked and cured fish, dairy and nuts due to kosher law.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025

Shortly after noon, customers continued to stream in and out of the delicatessen during the lunchtime rush.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2023

The alleged illegal activities came to light in 2021, when media reports surfaced that Hometown International, whose sole asset was a delicatessen in Paulsboro, New Jersey, had a valuation of about $100 million.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2023

Shumana Palit is a wine specialist and the owner of Ultracomida, a delicatessen and wine merchant with stores in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, and Narberth in Pembrokeshire.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2022

He suddenly realized he was on the familiar block of low apartment buildings, a store-front church, a delicatessen, a pawn shop, and on the corner, a bar.

From "The Contender" by Robert Lipsyte

The market moved to its current site in Poplar, east London, in 1982, where it supplies fish to businesses, fishmongers, fish-and-chip shops, delicatessens and restaurants.

From BBC ● Nov. 27, 2024

They’ve recently embraced a unique kind of street style — one that’s emblazoned with logos of famous delicatessens and their most popular offerings, like knishes, pastrami, pickles and bagels.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2023

Learn how to roll with the best in an afternoon lesson from the sfogline of La Salumeria, one of the city’s best delicatessens.

From National Geographic ● Apr. 17, 2023

So, much of what you used to love — diners, bike shops, tailors, hat stores, delicatessens, art-supply stores, bistros — disappeared.

From New York Times ● Dec. 27, 2019

Through personal letters to desirable shops, delicatessens, boarding-houses, colleges, etc.

From Every Step in Canning by Gray, Grace Viall

Related Words

• cafeteria
• deli