warehouse

American  

[wair-hous, wair-houz, -hous] / ˈwɛərˌhaʊs, ˈwɛərˌhaʊz, -ˌhaʊs /

noun

plural

warehouses

1. a building, or a part of one, for the storage of goods, merchandise, etc.

2. British. a large retail store.

3. a building, or a part of one, in which wholesalers keep large stocks of merchandise, which they display and sell to retailers.

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verb (used with object)

warehoused, warehousing

1. to place, deposit, or store in a warehouse.

2. to set aside or accumulate, as for future use.

3. to place in a government or bonded warehouse, to be kept until duties are paid.

4. Informal. to confine (the mentally ill) to large institutions for long-term custodial care.

warehouse British  

noun

1. a place where goods are stored prior to their use, distribution, or sale

2. See bonded warehouse

3. a large commercial, esp wholesale, establishment

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verb

1. (tr) to store or place in a warehouse, esp a bonded warehouse

Other Word Forms

• miniwarehouse noun

Etymology

Origin of warehouse

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; ware ¹, house

Example Sentences

More broadly, Tarlowe believes the Sam’s Club move could trigger higher fee levels across the category, and supports long‑term revenue and profit assumptions for membership-based warehouse retailers.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

Bell Potter says warehouse and distribution costs are almost certainly under threat from increased diesel prices and a range of inflationary cost pressures.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

But the stadium has also served as a warehouse for food supplies, and Hezbollah held the lavish funeral there for its former leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by Israel in September 2024.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Eager fans who turned up at the event, located in an industrial area of the Scottish city, described it as "little more than an abandoned, empty warehouse".

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

“Greatest dinosaur find in fifty years and I can’t get anybody to pay attention. But a warehouse full of scrap paper is front-page news.”

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman