store

1 of 2

noun

1

: a business establishment where usually diversified goods are kept for retail sale

a grocery store

compare shop

2

a

: something that is stored or kept for future use

b

stores plural : articles (as of food) accumulated for some specific object and drawn upon as needed : stock, supplies

c

: something that is accumulated

d

: a source from which things may be drawn as needed : a reserve fund

3

: storage

—usually used with in

When placing eggs in store …

—Sunday Independent (Dublin, Ireland)

4

: value, importance

set great store by a partner's opinion

5

: a large quantity, supply, or number : abundance

6

a

: storehouse, warehouse

b

chiefly British : memory sense 4

see also:

in store

store

2 of 2

adjective

1

or stores : of, relating to, kept in, or used for a store

2

: purchased from a store as opposed to being natural or homemade : manufactured, ready-made

store clothes

store bread

Synonyms of store

Noun

• reserve
• supply
• hoard
• cache
• collection

Adjective

• bought

Examples of store in a Sentence

Noun

I'm going to the store to buy groceries.

The stores are always crowded around the holiday season.

Adjective

preferred homemade bread to store brands

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

An employee inside the store was hit and pinned under the car, police said. —CBS News, 9 June 2026

Where is Publix opening stores? —Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 9 June 2026

Adjective

More than 82% of new space last year was built for traditional, specialty and super-store grocers. —Brian Womack, Dallas Morning News, 7 Jan. 2026

By then, store interior displays were as critical as the windows, reflecting each city’s unique take on the holiday season with decorations ranging from subdued to outrageous. —Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English stor, store "stored or saved amount, provisions, supplies, value, merit," borrowed from Anglo-French estor, estore "stock, supply," noun derivative of estorer "to repair, restore, stock with" — more at store entry 1

Adjective

from attributive use of store entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing store

• chain store
• cold store
• consignment store
• convenience store
• department store
• dime-store
• dollar store
• general store
• grocery store
• in store
• mind the store
• multiple store
• package store
• pre-store
• put considerable store in/by
• set great store by/on
• set/lay great store by
• set store by
• set store on
• shop the store
• store-bought
• store-brand
• store card
• store cheese
• variety store

Rhymes for store

• boar
• boer
• bore
• chore
• cor
• core
• corps
• crore
• door
• drawer
• floor
• flor

Kids Definition

store

1 of 3 verb

ˈstō(ə)r 

ˈstȯ(ə)r

stored; storing

1

: lay away, accumulate

store vegetables for winter use

2

: to provide with what is needed : furnish, supply

store a ship with provisions

3

a

: to deposit in a place (as a warehouse) for safekeeping or disposal

stored my furniture until I found a new apartment

b

: to record information in a device (as a computer)

4

: to provide storage room for : hold

racks for storing basketballs

store

2 of 3 noun

1

a

: something stored

a store of good jokes

b

plural : accumulated supplies (as of food) : stock

a ship's stores

2

: value entry 1 sense 3, importance

a family that set great store by tradition

3

: a place where goods are sold : shop

store

3 of 3 adjective

: purchased from a store : ready-made

store clothes

store bread