grocery

noun

gro·​cery ˈgrōs-rē 

ˈgrō-sə-;

ˈgrōsh-rē 

plural groceries

1

groceries plural : the food and supplies sold by a grocer

—usually singular in British usage

2

: a grocer's store

Examples of grocery in a Sentence

She stopped to pick up some groceries for supper.

Recent Examples on the Web

Kevin Carter | Getty Images Shrinking sales For more than a decade, consumers have been buying fewer groceries from the inner aisles of the grocery store, instead focusing on the outer aisles with fresh produce and protein. —Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026

With grocery prices so high, letting all that bread and milk go to waste is a crime against your wallet. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 31 Jan. 2026

While Bluspark isn't a household name, its software supports a large slice of global shipping, including major retailers, grocery chains and manufacturers. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026

People are delivering groceries to those who don’t feel safe leaving home in California, Oregon, Maine, Ohio, and many other states. —Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English grocerye, grosery "merchandise sold by wholesalers, the Grocers' Company of London," borrowed from Anglo-French grocerie, groserie, from groser "wholesale dealer in preserved foods, spices, wine, etc." + -ie -y entry 2 — more at grocer

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grocery

• do (one's) grocery shopping
• go grocery shopping
• grocery bag
• grocery cart
• grocery list
• grocery store

Video

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Kids Definition

grocery

noun

gro·​cery ˈgrōs-(ə-)rē 

plural groceries

1

plural : food sold by a grocer

went out to buy the groceries

2

: a grocer's store