grocer

noun

gro·​cer ˈgrō-sər  -shər 

: a dealer in staple foodstuffs, meats, produce, and dairy products and usually household supplies

Examples of grocer in a Sentence

Ask your local grocer if he sells organic fruits and vegetables.

Recent Examples on the Web

Unfortunately, many of these claims do not reflect the complexity of a grocer’s operations or the preferences of Connecticut shoppers. —Wayne Pesce, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026

Once open, the public and community will experience the array of goods and groceries that the specialty grocer, with four other metro Detroit stores, is known for. —Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 11 Mar. 2026

The grocer held a public meeting Tuesday at Keller town hall to answer questions about the project. —Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026

The grocer recommends that customers throw affected products away or return them to a store for a full refund. —Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English grocer, grosser "wholesale dealer in preserved foods, spices, wine, etc.," borrowed from Anglo-French groser, grosser, grossour (Middle French grossier), from gros "the greater part, the bulk," en gros "wholesale, in bulk" (derivative of gros, adjective, "large, great, coarse") + -er, -our -er entry 2 — more at gross entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for grocer

• closer
• grosser
• greengrocer

Kids Definition

grocer

noun

gro·​cer ˈgrō-sər 

: a dealer in food and household supplies