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

Today, its streets buzz with North African spice shops, Indian curry houses, and local bodegas. —AFAR Media, 11 Apr. 2025

While processing that failure, Matt is given another case of the week to deal with: Leroy Bradford, charged with petty larceny after stealing caramel corn from a bodega. —Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025

Some bodegas and food trucks are charging an extra dollar for a New York staple, the egg sandwich. —Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025

In New York City, some bodegas are even selling individual eggs. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Latin apotheca storehouse — more at apothecary

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1