bodega

noun

bo·​de·​ga bō-ˈdā-gə 

1

: a storehouse for maturing wine

2

a

: wineshop

b(1)

: bar entry 1 sense 5a

(2)

: barroom

3

: a usually small grocery store in an urban area

specifically : one specializing in Hispanic groceries

Did you know?

Apothecaries, Bodegas, and Boutiques

Apothecary, bodega, and boutique may not look very similar, but they are all related both in meaning and in origin. Each of these words can be traced back to a Latin word for “storehouse” (apotheca), and each one refers in English to a retail establishment of some sort. Although bodega initially meant “a storehouse for wine,” it now most commonly refers to a grocery store in an urban area, especially one that specializes in Hispanic groceries. Boutique has also taken on new meanings: its first sense in English (“a small retail store”) is still current, but it now may also denote “a small company that offers highly specialized products or services.” Of the three words, apothecary has changed the least; it has gone from referring solely to the person who sells drugs or medicines to also naming the store where such goods are sold.

Examples of bodega in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Boutique bodegas open their doors for private tastings; family-run estates host leisurely lunches beneath fig trees; and winemakers share their stories of harvests. —Spain Tourism, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025

The Heath bars from my local bodega worked in a pinch. —Editors Of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Dec. 2025

There’s also a counter meant to evoke a bodega, stocked with fresh Ess-a-Bagel. —Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025

In the back of the space, the bodega will have a small bar for coffee, ice cream and libations. —Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 18 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Latin apotheca storehouse — more at apothecary

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1