grocery

noun

gro·​cery ˈgrōs-rē 

ˈgrō-sə-;

ˈgrōsh-rē 

plural groceries

1

groceries plural : the food and supplies sold by a grocer

—usually singular in British usage

2

: a grocer's store

Examples of grocery in a Sentence

She stopped to pick up some groceries for supper.

Recent Examples on the Web

Tesco, a British chain of stores selling groceries and general merchandise, has launched a range of wedding gift packages featuring some rather unconventional items, according to U.K. outlet The Herald. —Erin Clack, People.com, 20 May 2025

Another key difference is that Target has focused less on groceries than Walmart, which is a big draw for repeat business. —CNBC, 19 May 2025

Advocates focused on child hunger also warn against cuts to SNAP benefits that do not take effect immediately — but could limit the ability of food assistance programs to keep pace with the rising cost of groceries. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 18 May 2025

Bananas, avocados and coffee are among some of the groceries that McMillon said come from Colombia, Costa Rica and Peru. —Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 17 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English grocerye, grosery "merchandise sold by wholesalers, the Grocers' Company of London," borrowed from Anglo-French grocerie, groserie, from groser "wholesale dealer in preserved foods, spices, wine, etc." + -ie -y entry 2 — more at grocer

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grocery

• do (one's) grocery shopping
• go grocery shopping
• grocery bag
• grocery cart
• grocery list
• grocery store

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Kids Definition

grocery

noun

gro·​cery ˈgrōs-(ə-)rē 

plural groceries

1

plural : food sold by a grocer

went out to buy the groceries

2

: a grocer's store