bodega

American  

[boh-dey-guh, baw-the-gah] / boʊˈdeɪ gə, bɔˈðɛ gɑ /

noun

• bodegas
  plural

1. a small, independent or family-owned grocery store, usually located in a densely populated urban environment, traditionally serving a Hispanic clientele.

2. (in Spain)

   1. a wineshop.

   2. a warehouse for storing or aging wines.

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bodega British  

/ boˈðeɣa, bəʊˈdiːɡə /

noun

1. a shop selling wine and sometimes groceries, esp in a Spanish-speaking country

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bodegas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bodega

First recorded in 1845–50 bodega for def. 2; 1965–70 bodega for def. 1; from Latin American Spanish, Spanish “wine cellar, wine shop,” from Latin apothēca “storehouse”; see apothecary

Explanation

A bodega is a small corner store or market that sells groceries and wine. Many bodegas are located in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods of large cities. If you visit New York City, you'll see bodegas, little shops where people buy groceries and small items. A bodega is kind of like a convenience store such as 7-11 — it's small and more convenient than a supermarket. If you just need a few items, the bodega is the place to stop. The word bodega means "wine shop" in Spanish, and it shares a root with the French boutique: the Greek apotheke, or "store."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bodega bodegas

Bero is prominently featured in “Brand New Day” when Holland’s Peter Parker is shopping at a bodega.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

She started filling up her son’s closet, and soon enough, she found herself selling her other finds out of a bodega in her garage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

Becky Wisdom, who rescues cats in New York, warned that lifting the threat of fines could remove "leverage" to encourage bodega owners to better care for the animals.

From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026

During the race, he expressed his love of bodega cats, who hang out in New York City convenience stores keeping unwanted pests away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 2, 2026

Her apartment was a flight up from a bodega with a dingy yellow awning: the Joyful Food Mart.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart

You may miss stocking up in well-lit superstores but enjoy getting to know shopkeepers who run tiny bodegas.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

Private mini-markets and clothing stores with well-stocked shelves have largely supplanted state "bodegas" and ration books in the past five years since SMEs were introduced.

From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026

She said the city was considering discounts on “bread, milk, meat, chicken, eggs” and won’t offer such items as the lottery tickets and alcohol found in bodegas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026

It was near midnight, and he was gliding between stalls and bodegas, activating the city’s Muslim community—roughly 9 percent of New Yorkers—with his now signature mix of warmth and urgency.

From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2025

Beatriz’s mom owns several bodegas, so she has the money to buy the most expensive fabrics in Puerto Rico and dress her up all nice.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles

Related Words

• convenience store
• trading post