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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
Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 9 July 2025
El Encanto, which the new owners plan to treat as a boutique hotel, may have a few of its rooms converted into retail spaces, like a café; Mateen will also transform the grounds and may top the resort with a membership club.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 9 July 2025
There's also a Lucchese boot boutique in the lobby, so every guest can snag a pair to bring home as the ultimate Texas souvenir.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025
But even if the popularity of Xiaomi’s EVs can spring beyond the company’s devoted base, production is still on a much more boutique scale.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 July 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 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boutique
noun
from French boutique "shop"
Legal Definition
boutique
noun
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