department store

American  

noun

• department stores
  plural

1. a large retail store carrying a wide variety of merchandise and organized into various departments for sales and administrative purposes.

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department store British  

noun

1. a large shop divided into departments selling a great many kinds of goods

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• department stores
  plural

Etymology

Origin of department store

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

department store

During that process, another call came in that the suspect had moved into the nearby Marshalls department store.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

The driver of the slick SUV bearing Qatari plates shifted into park, stepped out and headed into the tony department store.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

The business, still owned by Ashley but run by his son-in-law Michael Murray, this month bought luxury department store Harvey Nichols and promised a "significant restructuring" of the business.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

At 90,000 square feet, the proposed complex would be larger than an average Kohl’s department store, which the company says occupies roughly 80,000 square feet.

From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026

We walk along in silence, past darkened department store windows.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

Related Words

• chain store
• discount store
• shop
• store