retail
REE-tayl
Retail (noun) means the business of selling goods directly to individual customers, rather than in bulk to other businesses. Example: “She has worked in retail for over a decade.”
noun
1
The business of selling goods directly to individual customers, rather than in bulk to other businesses.
"She has worked in retail for over a decade."
"Retail can be busy, especially in the weeks before the holidays."
"He left a desk job to try his luck in retail."
verb
1
To sell something to customers, usually at a stated price.
"The new phone retails for around $800."
"The bakery retails its bread directly to people in the neighbourhood."
"These boots retail through small independent shops across the country."
How to use retail
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSelling to the public, or the price the public pays.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
retail price
retail store
retails for
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- retails
- Past tense
- retailed
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She has worked in _____ for over a decade.
Etymology
From the Old French verb retaillier, "to cut off a piece" — reflecting the idea of selling goods in smaller portions rather than wholesale.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for retail
See all rhymes for retail →Frequently asked questions
What does “retail” mean?
The word “retail” means the business of selling goods directly to individual customers, rather than in bulk to other businesses. In plain terms, selling to the public, or the price the public pays.
How do you pronounce “retail”?
“Retail” is pronounced REE-tayl (/ˈɹiˌteɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “retail” in a sentence?
Here is “retail” used in a sentence: “She has worked in retail for over a decade.”
What is the opposite of “retail”?
The opposite of “retail” — its antonyms — is wholesale.
What part of speech is “retail”?
Depending on how it is used, “retail” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “retail” come from?
The word “retail” comes from Old French. From the Old French verb retaillier, "to cut off a piece" — reflecting the idea of selling goods in smaller portions rather than wholesale.
Is “retail” a common word?
“Retail” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “retail” have?
“Retail” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the business of selling goods directly to individual customers, rather than in bulk to other businesses.
What is the difference between retail and wholesale?
Retail is selling goods directly to individual customers in small quantities, usually at full price. Wholesale is selling in bulk to businesses, such as shops, at lower per-unit prices. A wholesaler supplies the retailer, who then sells on to the public. The gap between the two prices is the retail margin.
What are the types of retail?
Retail takes many forms, including physical stores like supermarkets, department stores, and boutiques, as well as online or e-commerce selling. Other types include specialty shops, discount and convenience stores, and direct-to-consumer brands. What unites them is selling goods straight to the end customer rather than in bulk.
What is an example of retail?
A supermarket selling groceries to shoppers is retail, as is a clothing shop, a bookstore, or an online store shipping single orders to homes. Each buys or produces goods and sells them directly to individual customers. Even buying a coffee from a cafe is a retail transaction.
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