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

Inflected Forms

noun

• 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

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

Subsidized goods for a low price may be a nice change at first, just have the common courtesy to not let the door hit your favorite bodega owner on the way out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

Inspired by Rimada's petition, New York City council member Keith Powers has proposed a measure to shield the owners of bodega cats from penalties.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

Waymo also sparked a media frenzy when one of its cars accidentally killed a beloved bodega cat in San Francisco, which was reignited when a robotaxi ran over a small dog some weeks later.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 24, 2025

But she didn’t have no money right then to pay for the food, so we were walking to Manny’s far-off bodega that would let her have groceries now, but pay for them later.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

Related Words

• convenience store
• trading post