noun
Uncommon
boutique
boo-TEEK
Boutique (noun) means a small shop, especially one selling fashionable clothes or specialist goods. Example: “She bought the dress at a little boutique on the high street.”
noun
1
A small shop, especially one selling fashionable clothes or specialist goods.
"The 55-year-old, who worked as a nurse liaison for 30 years before opening her clothing boutique in 2014, began streaming fashion shows on Facebook Live featuring herself wearing the clothes, jewelry and accessories she sells."
— Alaa Elassar, A small boutique survived the coronavirus pandemic by live streaming fashion shows on Facebook (2020)
"The audacious hijacking in Paris of a van carrying the baggage of a Saudi prince to his private jet is obviously an embarrassment to the French capital, whose ultra-high-end boutiques have suffered a spate of heists in recent months."
— , A brazen heist in Paris [print version: International New York Times, 22 August 2014, p. 8] (2014)
"She bought the dress at a little boutique on the high street."
adj
1
Describing a small, specialised business that serves a niche market.
"They hired a boutique consulting firm instead of a big agency."
How to use boutique
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small, stylish shop, or (as an adjective) small and specialised rather than mass-market.
Common pairings
a fashion boutique
a boutique hotel
a boutique firm
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Word forms
- Plural
- boutiques
Fill the gap
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She bought the dress at a little _____ on the high street.
Etymology
From French boutique, "shop."
Synonyms
View more →
specialty shop
niche firm
Rhymes for boutique
See all rhymes for boutique →Frequently asked questions
What does “boutique” mean?
The word “boutique” means a small shop, especially one selling fashionable clothes or specialist goods. In plain terms, a small, stylish shop, or (as an adjective) small and specialised rather than mass-market.
How do you pronounce “boutique”?
“Boutique” is pronounced boo-TEEK (/buˈtik/ in IPA).
How do you use “boutique” in a sentence?
Here is “boutique” used in a sentence: “She bought the dress at a little boutique on the high street.”
What part of speech is “boutique”?
Depending on how it is used, “boutique” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “boutique” come from?
The word “boutique” comes from French. From French boutique, "shop.".
Is “boutique” a common word?
“Boutique” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “boutique” have?
“Boutique” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small shop, especially one selling fashionable clothes or specialist goods.
What is the difference between a boutique and a regular store?
A boutique is a small shop that typically sells fashionable clothing or specialist goods, offering a curated selection rather than the wide, mass-market range found in a regular store. The term emphasizes a niche, often upscale focus.
What does "boutique" mean when used as an adjective, as in "boutique hotel" or "boutique firm"?
As an adjective, "boutique" describes a small, specialized business that serves a niche market, such as a boutique hotel offering personalized service or a boutique law firm focusing on one practice area. It signals exclusivity and specialization rather than scale.
Is "boutique" always used for clothing shops?
No, while "boutique" originally referred to small clothing or specialty shops, it now applies broadly as an adjective to any small, niche-focused business, including hotels and consulting firms.
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