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

His group has been pushing for funding so bodega owners can install panic buttons to summon police immediately. —Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025

These glassy encasements elevated each itty-bitty snapshot of kitschy urban ephemera (a taxi cab, a bodega coffee cup, a slice of pizza, a smiley-face plastic shopping bag) to a surprising elegance—undercut with impish humor. —Marina Harss, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025

But this year, the BEC is making noise far beyond bodega counters. —Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

The sandwich, which originated in New York City bodegas, isn’t easy to find in these parts. —Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Latin apotheca storehouse — more at apothecary

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1