plural delis
: 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
Protein: Add crispy bacon, a fried egg, or mix and match deli meats for a hearty spin.
Herbs: Fresh basil, cilantro, parsley or other herbs can add a bright freshness to the sandwiches.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2024
Examples include bacon, beef, deli meat, and sausages.
—Amanda MacMillan, Health, 24 Mar. 2024
Since the stabbing, people have come to the deli to drop off cards and check in with its employees, said Albhar.
—Natalie Kainz, NBC News, 22 Mar. 2024
At lunch, go for classic deli sandwiches like hot pastrami, chicken salad and smoked turkey, soups made in-house daily and crisp salads.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024
Johnson County also has two new breakfast and lunch spots, along with spots for deli sandwiches, poke, ramen, steaks and cookies.
—Joyce Smith, Kansas City Star, 29 Feb. 2024
Augie’s Montreal Deli was the Bay Area’s first Canadian deli.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
Richard didn’t scratch the $10 ticket his dad picked up from a Westport deli just yet.
—Daniella Segura, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Feel free to substitute with other types of deli meats.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2024
Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2024
Examples include bacon, beef, deli meat, and sausages.
—Amanda MacMillan, Health, 24 Mar. 2024
Since the stabbing, people have come to the deli to drop off cards and check in with its employees, said Albhar.
—Natalie Kainz, NBC News, 22 Mar. 2024
At lunch, go for classic deli sandwiches like hot pastrami, chicken salad and smoked turkey, soups made in-house daily and crisp salads.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024
Johnson County also has two new breakfast and lunch spots, along with spots for deli sandwiches, poke, ramen, steaks and cookies.
—Joyce Smith, Kansas City Star, 29 Feb. 2024
Augie’s Montreal Deli was the Bay Area’s first Canadian deli.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
Richard didn’t scratch the $10 ticket his dad picked up from a Westport deli just yet.
—Daniella Segura, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Feel free to substitute with other types of deli meats.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deli.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near deli
Cite this Entry
“Deli.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deli. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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