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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 boutique in a Sentence
Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 26 June 2025
Plans for conversion of the upstairs into a boutique hotel never advanced, while the city put off renovations and repairs.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
Styled like a modern apartment, the boutique invites shoppers to connect, explore, and find pieces that feel meant to be part of their lives.
—Tamia Boyd, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2025
Start your day with a Scandinavian cardamom bun at Söderberg or the sausage-and-egg muffin at Nessa before hitting the indie boutiques along Brewer, Berwick, and Lexington streets.
—Emma John, AFAR Media, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for boutique
Cite this Entry
“Boutique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boutique. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boutique
noun
from French boutique "shop"
Legal Definition
boutique
noun
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