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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
Zayd Ayers Dohrn, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
As its name suggests, this is among Montreal’s smallest boutique hotels.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
After seeing his Finish Line store hit $1 million in revenue within its first year, Curry thought the Louisiana market could use a more boutique seller.
—Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
At Free Eden, a Dallas mall boutique, four young women sell overpriced clothes, burn sage and run a secret after-hours coven.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for boutique
Cite this Entry
“Boutique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boutique. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boutique
noun
from French boutique "shop"
Legal Definition
boutique
noun
