deli

noun

ˈde-lē 

plural delis

: a store or department of a store where ready-to-eat food products (such as cooked meats and prepared salads) are sold : delicatessen

You shuffle off to the deli and pick up a pastrami-on-rye and an egg cream. The bald man behind the counter whistles cheerfully as he slices the meat.

—Jay McInerney

Sixth Avenue in midtown was once lined with convenient, low-priced delis, cafeterias, coffee shops, and the like.

—Brendan Gill

also : the food sold at a delicatessen

If you're hungry for deli in Miami, only the Rascal House will do.

—Norman Kolpas

… a neat, orderly, well-lighted place so clean you could eat deli off the floor …

—Jack Fincher

—often used before another noun

deli meats/platters

waiting in line at the deli counter

Examples of deli in a Sentence

We bought sandwiches and drinks at the deli.

Recent Examples on the Web

Two years ago, a Long Island deli shocked the country by selling a $120-per-pound lobster salad — and the price has only gone up since. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026

So if your local deli has blurry-looking croissants on their window, the owner might have gone straight to Staples to print something as-is. — Clio Chang, Curbed, 22 June 2026

With its Jewish delis, atmospheric dive bars, and underground music scene, the Mile End neighborhood minted the defining Montreal cool of the indie aughts—a place where cardiganed Italian grandmas rubbed shoulders with tattooed creatives. — Jen Rose Smith, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2026

The neighborhood is now the site of a large Chabad community and a number of Jewish restaurants and delis. — Ron Kampeas, Sun Sentinel, 22 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

short for delicatessen

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deli

• belly
• jelly
• kellie
• melly
• nellie
• nelly
• shelly
• skelly
• smellie
• smelly
• tele
• telly

Kids Definition

deli

noun

ˈdel-ē 

plural delis

: delicatessen sense 2