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

In July, Albertsons said it expected sales to fall this year after its core grocery business struggled in the most recent quarter due to a more cautious consumer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Spending ticked down at grocery stores too, while hobby spending was lackluster.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

I’d have to adjust my routine, like grocery shopping, working out and cooking, if we were to continue long term.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

Many factors can contribute to obesity, but researchers are increasingly interested in the role of high fat foods that are readily available in grocery stores.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

The grocery store part makes me think about Mama, and I stop reading.

From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist

Sosa set out to buy groceries for the free-meal program he runs five days a week for about 350 mostly elderly people, using donations from friends and relatives in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

"Everything keeps getting more expensive -- it's not just petrol, it's groceries and utilities too."

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

She and her 73-year-old father, Scott Hansen still ride their mountain bikes through burned-out neighbourhoods to get groceries back to home, which is in the mandatory evacuation zone.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

“No, I don’t think Thanksgiving should be abolished, but let me tell you more about how groceries should be cheaper.”

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

“But don’t come crying to me when you don’t have money to buy groceries, and there’s no food on the table.”

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall