deli

noun

\ ˈde-lē

plural delis

Definition of deli

: 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 Sixth Avenue in midtown was once lined with convenient, low-priced delis, cafeterias, coffee shops, and the like.— 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 … a neat, orderly, well-lighted place so clean you could eat deli off the floor … — Jack Fincher —often used before another noun 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 That quest will flavor upcoming changes as the brand works to make improvements to other product lines, including breakfast items, lunch bowls and deli slices, with input from both chefs and consumers, Wheeler said. — Janet Forgrieve, Forbes, 26 May 2021 Such products—candy, crackers, deli meat, frozen pizzas, fruit juices—are increasingly found not just in supermarkets and restaurants but virtually everywhere: movie theaters, hardware stores, gas stations, even health clubs. — Matthew Rees, WSJ, 9 May 2021 The collection crew places each butterfly in a clear plastic deli container, and the females go into a cooler with a bit of ice to keep them calm. — Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 May 2021 The deli worker ran into a supply closet, then out a side exit to the safety of her car. — Washington Post, 19 Apr. 2021 At work, my mother and father split a deli egg sandwich for lunch to save money. — New York Times, 7 Apr. 2021 Former Uncle Buck's chef Ben Crevensten, who's launching Meat & Co. with a business partner, described it as an old-school deli combined with a modern sandwich shop. — Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2021 Those who love deli and have been to Los Angeles know Langer’s Deli. — Rachel Ringler, sun-sentinel.com, 27 May 2021 Onofrio D’Amato, owner of the harbor’s fuel dock and Pelican deli and fish market, said the market hopes to add a line of rental surfboards, boogie boards, beach chairs, wagons and even games. — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2021

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