shop

The word “shop” means a place, physical or online, where goods or services are sold. In plain terms, a place to buy things or get work done, or the act of buying/browsing there.

“Shop” is pronounced shop (/ʃɑp/ in IPA).

Here is “shop” used in a sentence: “She opened a small flower shop on the high street.”

Words with a similar meaning to “shop” include retail outlet, store, metal shop, metalwork and machine shop.

Depending on how it is used, “shop” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “shop” comes from Old English. From Old English sceoppa ("shed, booth, stall"), from an ancient Germanic root for a barn or shed; the verb was formed later from the noun.

“Shop” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Shop” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a place, physical or online, where goods or services are sold.

Mostly it is regional. British English favours 'shop' for a place selling goods, while American English usually says 'store.' Where both are used, 'store' can suggest something larger or a place that stocks supplies, and 'shop' something smaller or specialised. 'Shop' also means a workroom, as in a repair shop, which 'store' does not.

Yes. As a verb, 'to shop' means to visit shops or websites to look at and buy goods — 'we shopped all afternoon' or 'I shop online.' It also appears in phrases like 'shop around,' meaning to compare prices before buying. So 'shop' works as both the place and the activity of buying.

Shops are usually grouped by what they sell or how they operate: grocery, clothing, book, and hardware shops by product; boutiques, chain stores, and department stores by size or style; and physical versus online shops by format. Specialist workrooms such as repair shops and print shops use the word in its 'workspace' sense.