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 longtime labor organizer has worked in oil refineries and the meatpacking industry and is currently a Walmart deli worker. — Laura Fay, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

There are also a couple of casual, al fresco dining options around the pool and cabanas, a market-style spot for grab-and-go and deli-style options, a Starbucks, and a cocktail-forward lobby bar. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Nov. 2026

James likened the experience to going back to your hometown after decades away and someone asking you to grab something from the deli. — ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026

Police shot an armed suspect who’d been feuding with workers at a Bronx deli after the man opened fire on officers Monday, cops said. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

short for delicatessen

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deli

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

Kids Definition

deli

noun

ˈdel-ē 

plural delis

: delicatessen sense 2