department store

American  

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of department store

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

Home centers, big-box electronics stores, pharmacies, apparel outlets and department stores fared especially well.

From MarketWatch

Left to talk, Jacobs whirls through stories of past, present and future: anecdotes about his grandmother planning her lunch spot around which department store she’d spend the day at, and memories of Bob Fosse films.

From Salon

Established mall retailers and department stores have struggled in recent years, with a major player like Forever 21 closing all of its locations last year.

From Los Angeles Times

As big malls and department stores close, bargain chains like Ross Dress for Less are rolling out new stores.

From Los Angeles Times

A shipment of men’s shoes had been announced by one of the department stores, and Nollie had determined to get Flip a pair “if I have to stand in line all day.”

From Literature

Related Words

• chain store
• discount store
• shop
• store