deli

noun

ˈde-lē 

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

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

The 50,000 square-foot grocery store includes a pharmacy, cheese shop, sushi kiosk, deli, bakery, and meat and seafood counters. —Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Jan. 2026

The couple's son Vito D'Ambrosio was arrested outside the deli after police responded to the scene. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026

In 2025, Publix landed on five of USA TODAY's 10Best lists for grocery stores, ranking for its deli, bakery, produce, overall shopping experience, and prepared food. —Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 28 Jan. 2026

Elle Fanning plays one of the deli customers, and says the shoot spurred her to throw some caution to the wind. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

short for delicatessen

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deli

• belly
• felly
• jelly
• kellie
• melly
• nellie
• nelly
• shelly
• skelly
• smellie
• smelly
• tele

Kids Definition

deli

noun

ˈdel-ē 

plural delis

: delicatessen sense 2