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

Irvi made a final visit to a Bronx bodega that served as a hangout for Mexican immigrants. —Caitlin Dickerson, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026

The internet trolls livestream videos of themselves appearing to harass everyday New Yorkers and often finding themselves being thrown out of apartment buildings, bodegas and other establishments. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026

At a nearby bodega, the man behind the register was also unaware of the news. —Jane Bua, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026

Leighton said there were also long lines outside a few small bodegas that remained open. —Philip Wang, Time, 24 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Latin apotheca storehouse — more at apothecary

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1