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

Inflected Forms

noun

• groceries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of grocery

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

Example Sentences

Grocery prices rose roughly 25% between 2019 and 2023, hitting staple foods especially hard.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

Woking Community Grocery, based at Welcome Church, is holding its opening event, aiming to offer significantly discounted food to those struggling with the cost of living.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

Grocery stores can appear well stocked even when the systems behind them are under pressure.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

Grocery store and furniture sales were the only notable weak spots, each falling 1.0%.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

But when I got to the lot where Speed’s Grocery was supposed to be, I found a gray, rust-stained mobile home, its broken windows covered with wire.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot