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

On Thursday eight chefs set up shop – literally – at five local bodegas, delis or corner stores, serving up signature dishes for free to anyone who might walk in. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026

Jabal the bodega cat Eighth Street Mini Market Bodega workers and neighbors were happy to hear Jabal is back home. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026

Quotidian urban characters are transformed into objects of embellishment and desire, with faux fur, sequins, pizza rats, pigeons, bodega snacks, paint splatters and towering leopard platforms showcased through a luxury lens. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2026

But remarkably, even as the last half-decade has made city living comically unsustainable—bodegas are selling Diet Cokes for $4—rents in Tribeca have stayed relatively stable. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Latin apotheca storehouse — more at apothecary

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1