noun
Common
grocery
GROH-sree
Grocery (noun) means a store that sells food and everyday household items. Example: “I popped into the grocery on my way home to buy milk.”
noun
1
A store that sells food and everyday household items.
"I popped into the grocery on my way home to buy milk."
"The family-run grocery opens at seven and stays open late every night."
"There's a small grocery just around the corner from my flat."
2
Food and household items bought for the home (usually plural: "groceries").
"He carried the heavy groceries up three flights of stairs without complaining."
"Could you help me unpack the groceries while I make some tea?"
"She spent an hour going through the grocery list before shopping."
How to use grocery
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to food shopping — either the store itself or the goods bought there.
UK vs US
In UK English "the shops" or "supermarket" is often used instead of "the grocery."
Common pairings
grocery store
grocery list
grocery shopping
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Word forms
- Plural
- groceries
- Third person singular
- groceries
- Past tense
- groceried
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I popped into the _____ on my way home to buy milk.
Etymology
From Middle English grocerye, built from grocer plus the "-y" ending, ultimately tied to gross ("in bulk").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for grocery
See all rhymes for grocery →Frequently asked questions
What does “grocery” mean?
The word “grocery” means a store that sells food and everyday household items. In plain terms, relating to food shopping — either the store itself or the goods bought there.
How do you pronounce “grocery”?
“Grocery” is pronounced GROH-sree (/ˈɡɹoʊ.s(ə.)ɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “grocery” in a sentence?
Here is “grocery” used in a sentence: “There's a small grocery just around the corner from my flat.”
What part of speech is “grocery”?
“Grocery” is a noun.
Where does the word “grocery” come from?
The word “grocery” comes from Middle English. From Middle English grocerye, built from grocer plus the "-y" ending, ultimately tied to gross ("in bulk").
Is “grocery” a common word?
“Grocery” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “grocery” have?
“Grocery” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a store that sells food and everyday household items.
What is the difference between grocery and groceries?
Grocery in the singular usually refers to the store that sells food and everyday household items, especially in the phrase "grocery store." Groceries in the plural refers to the items themselves: you go to the grocery store to buy groceries.
What is the difference between a grocery store and a supermarket?
A grocery store is any store selling food and everyday household items, and it can be quite small. A supermarket is a large self-service grocery store with a wide range of departments. In American English the two terms often overlap in casual use.
Is grocery used in British English?
The store sense is chiefly American; British speakers usually say supermarket, corner shop, or grocer's instead of "grocery store." However, groceries for the food and household items you buy is common in both British and American English.
Do you say "do the grocery shopping" or "make the grocery shopping"?
English uses do: "I do the grocery shopping on Saturdays." "Make the grocery shopping" is a common learner error carried over from languages that use their verb for make in this context.
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