boutique

noun, often attributive bou·tique \ bü-ˈtēk \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Editor's Note: Apothecaries, bodegas, and boutiques

Definition of boutique

1 a : a small shop dealing in fashionable clothing or accessories

b : a small shop within a large department store

2 : a small company that offers highly specialized services or products

boutique wineries

an independent investment boutique

—

boutiquey

play \-ˈtē-kē\ adjective

See boutique defined for English-language learners

See boutique defined for kids

Recent Examples of boutique from the Web

New retailers and restaurants include fashion jewelry retailer Mimmic Bijuterias, B. Bungalow, which sells beauty, hair and home products, and Apricot Lane fashion boutique.

— doreen christensen, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Broward to get SeaQuest interactive aquarium at Galleria in Fort Lauderdale," 6 June 2018
The once-thriving railway town’s historic district (Colorado’s largest) now houses boutique shops selling handcrafted guitars, high-end bicycles and art aplenty, including the colorful reverse glass paintings of Art & Salvage.

— laura kiniry, Smithsonian, "The 20 Best Small Towns To Visit in 2018," 5 June 2018
Mini-boutiques by Saks Fifth Avenue, Viajiyu and Linda Ravano offered their latest shoe collections, with a notable and of-the-times presence of flats and comfort shoes.

— flora tsapovsky, San Francisco Chronicle, "Wine, Women & Shoes delivers on name," 5 June 2018
By 2014, Haney had five versatile pieces on sale in a handful of small boutiques.

— nora caplan-bricker, Outside Online, "Ty Haney Is the Queen of Athleisure," 5 June 2018
San Antonio Detours: This boutique tour company promises a casual, unscripted adventure that will include plenty of games and trivia.

— paul stephen, San Antonio Express-News, "Plan a tour of Texas Hill Country wineries and leave the driving to the pros," 4 June 2018
Less than one hour from Philadelphia, this 3-bedroom, 2-bath boutique A-frame by Stay Lokal has undergone a top-to-bottom renovation and comes with Scandinavian and modern interiors.

— megan barber, Curbed, "8 A-frames you can rent right now," 1 June 2018
Image A penthouse sale at the Getty, a brand-new boutique condominium hugging the High Line in West Chelsea, has set a record for Manhattan’s downtown.

— vivian marino, New York Times, "Penthouse Sale in Chelsea Sets Downtown Record," 1 June 2018
That arc of accomplishment is precisely why many people pay hefty fees at boutique studios instead of exercising at traditional gyms.

— lisa eadicicco, Time, "Working Out Is Hard. Streaming Just Might Make It Easier," 31 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'boutique.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.

Origin and Etymology of boutique

French, shop, probably from Old Occitan botica, ultimately from Greek apothēkē storehouse — more at apothecary

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1767

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

BOUTIQUE Defined for English Language Learners

boutique

noun

Definition of boutique for English Language Learners

: a small store that sells stylish clothing or other usually expensive things

BOUTIQUE Defined for Kids

boutique

noun bou·tique \ bü-ˈtēk \

Definition of boutique for Students

: a small fashionable shop

Law Dictionary

boutique

noun bou·tique \ bü-ˈtēk \

legal Definition of boutique

: a small company that offers highly specialized services or products; specifically : a small law firm that offers services in one or a small number of legal areas