grocery

American  

[groh-suh-ree, groh-shree] / ˈgroʊ sə ri, ˈgroʊ ʃri /

noun

• groceries
  plural

1. Also called grocery store.  a store that sells perishable and nonperishable food supplies and certain nonedible household items, such as soaps and paper products.

2. Usually groceries; grocery food and other items sold at a grocery store or sold by a grocer.

3. the business of a grocer.

4. Southwestern U.S. (formerly)

   1. a saloon or bar.

   2. a liquor store.

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grocery British  

/ ˈɡrəʊsərɪ /

noun

1. the business or premises of a grocer

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• groceries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of grocery

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English grocerie; grocer + -ie -y ³ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grocery groceries

Still, consumers spent less on gasoline and food in the period, as prices at the pump spiked and grocery costs remained elevated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

The arrangement, he promised, would lower grocery bills while giving America’s depleted cattle herd time to rebuild.

From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026

Raley’s, a California family-owned grocery store chain, is planning to close several stores in its home state.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Philippe Meranger just finished his grocery shopping in Montreal.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

As I understood it, off the base he was also very popular—at the grocery store, church, ball games, and the like—in the White part of the community.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

For the first time, those looking to try Erewhon’s viral $21 smoothies or simply look through shelves of expensive groceries won’t have to enter Los Angeles County to do so.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

The food shops, run by Social Enterprise Kent, redistribute surplus food and offer cut-price groceries.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

BJ’s Wholesale Club raised its full-year profit outlook, as lower gas prices and deals on groceries drew more customers to its warehouses in the latest quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

But Target executives said on their call that they are trying to refashion the chain into a bigger destination for groceries.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

“We gotta run, baby girl. Uncle Jack is being moved back to his apartment at the assisted-living facility and put in hospice. We need to make sure there are groceries and things of that nature.”

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone