bodega

noun

bo·​de·​ga bō-ˈdā-gə How to pronounce bodega (audio)
1
: a storehouse for maturing wine
2
3
: a usually small grocery store in an urban area
specifically : one specializing in Hispanic groceries

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Can or should New York City effectively run low-income neighborhood grocery stores, which would compete with small bodegas? Richard McGahey, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 For his lead turn as bodega owner Usnavi de la Vega, Ramos was nominated for a Golden Globe. EW.com, 24 June 2025 And there’s a lot of gross images here too (e.g., man running down the street and through a bodega with a bleeding face). Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 23 June 2025 Ask the owners for their black book of restaurants and bodegas. Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for bodega

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Latin apotheca storehouse — more at apothecary

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bodega was in 1656

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Cite this Entry

“Bodega.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bodega. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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