plural delis
: a store or department of a store where ready-to-eat food products (such as cooked meats and prepared salads) are sold : delicatessen
You shuffle off to the deli and pick up a pastrami-on-rye and an egg cream. The bald man behind the counter whistles cheerfully as he slices the meat.—
Jay McInerney
Jay McInerneySixth Avenue in midtown was once lined with convenient, low-priced delis, cafeterias, coffee shops, and the like.—Brendan Gill
Brendan Gill
also
: the food sold at a delicatessen
If you're hungry for deli in Miami, only the Rascal House will do. —Norman Kolpas
Norman Kolpas … a neat, orderly, well-lighted place so clean you could eat deli off the floor … —Jack Fincher
—often used before another noun Jack Fincher deli meats/platters
waiting in line at the deli counter
Examples of deli in a Sentence
We bought sandwiches and drinks at the deli.
Recent Examples on the Web
The scene is set by Giacomo, the beloved Milanese restaurant—another successful business in the Rovati family's portfolio—which offers a variety of concepts, including bistro, deli, and patisserie.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2026
Add extra cheese, deli meat, pickles, olives, and anything else that sounds good, then top it all with hot honey and fig jam.
—Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2026
Authorities say the items include the Rotisserie Chicken Salad and Gourmet Grape Chicken Salad sold in the store's deli department display as well as pre-packaged products, which include chicken salad sandwiches, croissants, pitas, and dippers.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
To recreate this, look for a thicker pepperoni or cut your own by buying a pepperoni stick, often found near the deli cheese or meats.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deli
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2026
Add extra cheese, deli meat, pickles, olives, and anything else that sounds good, then top it all with hot honey and fig jam.
—Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2026
Authorities say the items include the Rotisserie Chicken Salad and Gourmet Grape Chicken Salad sold in the store's deli department display as well as pre-packaged products, which include chicken salad sandwiches, croissants, pitas, and dippers.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
To recreate this, look for a thicker pepperoni or cut your own by buying a pepperoni stick, often found near the deli cheese or meats.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deli
Cite this Entry
“Deli.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deli. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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