retail

[ ree-teyl ri-teyl ]

noun

1. the sale of goods to ultimate consumers, usually in small quantities ( wholesale ).

adjective

1. pertaining to, connected with, or engaged in sale at retail:

   the retail price.

adverb

1. in a retail quantity or at a retail price.

verb (used with object)

1. to sell at retail; sell directly to the consumer.
2. to relate or repeat in detail to others:

   to retail scandal.

verb (used without object)

1. to be sold at retail:

   It retails at 50 cents.

retail

/ ˈriːteɪl /

noun

1. See wholesale
   the sale of goods individually or in small quantities to consumers Compare wholesale

adjective

1. of, relating to, or engaged in such selling

   retail prices

adverb

1. in small amounts or at a retail price

verb

1. to sell or be sold in small quantities to consumers
2. rɪˈteɪl tr to relate (gossip, scandal, etc) in detail, esp persistently

retail

1. A term describing businesses that sell goods directly to individuals. ( Compare wholesale .)

Derived Forms

• ˈretailer, noun

Other Words From

• retail·er noun
• non·retail adjective
• non·retail·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of retail¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; (for the noun) late Middle English, from Anglo-French: “a cut,” derivative of retailler “to cut,” from re- re- + tailler “to cut” ( tail ² ); (for the verb) Middle English retailen, from Old French retailler

Word History and Origins

Origin of retail¹

C14: from Old French retaillier to cut off, from re- + taillier to cut; see tailor

Example Sentences

That’s a very high-margin business, much higher than retail and e-commerce.

From Fortune

Resellers on eBay are selling them for around $400, a 33% markup from the $300 retail price.

From Fortune

Yet many of the CEOs of our country’s largest grocery and retail chains ended hazard pay for these workers as if the pandemic was over and they were no longer at risk.

From Voice of San Diego

The post SEO tips for your retail store appeared first on Search Engine Watch.

From Search Engine Watch

People started fighting with each other to get their share of the popular sauce eventually creating a bad image for the retail chain for poor management and not creating a sufficiently large batch in the first place.

From Search Engine Watch

He noted that some retail stores that benefit from Christmas sales still instruct employees to wish customers “Happy Holidays.”

From The Daily Beast

I am frightened by how much of this is caused by organized retail crime.

From The Daily Beast

Total approximate retail value of all prizes awarded is $ 3899.97.

From The Daily Beast

Still, they make up the largest block of holiday shoppers and are the key to retail success or failure.

From The Daily Beast

Customers can purchase cold beer at full price or warm bottles of beer at retail prices to take home.

From The Daily Beast

I want to see the sort of thing happening to schools that has already happened to many sorts of retail shops.

From Project Gutenberg

Five years later he was drawing a large salary, and at the age of thirty he had opened a retail drug store of his own.

From Project Gutenberg

This levelling spirit is gradually converting the historic Walled City into a busy retail trading-centre.

From Project Gutenberg

But any thing bought by retail in an English or French shop is, usually speaking, very dear.

From Project Gutenberg

He would retail his exciting experiences as a pugilist and a drunkard with much gusto.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• peddle

More About Retail

What does retail mean?

Retail is the sale of goods to the person who will actually use the goods. It is often used to describe the consumer goods industry, as in Jade worked in retail over the summer break to earn money for school.

Retail is also used to describe something related to sales at retail, as in While the wholesale price is low, the retail price is much higher because the store’s rent is also very high.

To retail is to sell directly to the consumer or to be sold at retail.

Example: The retail store down the road has a sale on all sorts of good stuff today.

Where does retail come from?

The first records of the term retail come from around 1375. It ultimately comes from the Old French retailler, meaning “to cut.” Because retail is selling to an individual user, the seller is selling a cut of the goods they bought in bulk, that is, at wholesale.

Retail is most commonly used in reference to stores, often those that are large and sell many types of retail items. Retail can also describe a price, such as the price that something would sell at a retail store. Retail almost always refers to the sale of goods. When shopping online first became possible, many people used e-tail as a way to describe “electronic retail.” E-tail is not commonly used anymore.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to retail?

• retailer (noun)
• nonretail (adjective)
• retailing (noun)

What are some synonyms for retail?

• sell
• peddle

What are some words that share a root or word element with retail? 

• retail therapy
• retail politics
• e-tail

What are some words that often get used in discussing retail?

• price
• product
• sell
• store
• suggested
• wholesale

How is retail used in real life?

Retail is commonly used in business to refer to selling directly to the consumer.

// depends on the job and the season: retail during the holidays? Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy… waterpark during the summer? pic.twitter.com/jj6HNxarTI

— 𝕰𝖑𝖘𝖆 𝕾𝖈𝖍𝖓𝖊𝖊 ❄ (RWBY AU) (@SpiritoftheIce) October 14, 2021

Sending love to everyone working retail and customer service today.

People out there acting like y’all are the reason they waited til the absolute last moment to do their Christmas shopping.

— Philip DeFranco 👊🏻 (@PhillyD) December 24, 2019

 

https://twitter.com/beckyjewell/status/1448706749435826181

Try using retail!

Is retail used correctly in the following sentence?

A device with those components would retail for about $500.