retail

1 of 4

verb

re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl How to pronounce retail (audio)
 especially for sense 2 also  ri-ˈtāl
retailed; retailing; retails

transitive verb

1
: to sell in small quantities directly to the ultimate consumer
2

intransitive verb

: to sell at retail
retailer noun

retail

2 of 4

noun

re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl How to pronounce retail (audio)
: the sale of commodities or goods in small quantities to ultimate consumers
also : the industry of such selling

retail

3 of 4

adjective

re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl How to pronounce retail (audio)
: of, relating to, or engaged in the sale of commodities at retail
retail trade

retail

4 of 4

adverb

re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl How to pronounce retail (audio)
: in small quantities : from a retailer
Phrases
at retail
1
: at a retailer's price
2

Examples of retail in a Sentence

Verb We retail clothing at the best possible prices. jewelry that retails from $100 Noun She has a job in retail. Adjective Is that price retail or wholesale? Adverb You usually have to pay more if you buy something retail than if you buy it wholesale. The product sells retail for about $100. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In 2019 a carton of liquid Just Egg retailed at close to $8, according to Bloomberg. Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023 The quirky shoes, which will retail between $70 and $75, can paired with $20 matching socks featuring the famous characters' faces. Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023 The Summer House star, 31, paired the sparkling statement underwear — which retail for $5,600 — with a white, collared shirt and hair clips, also from the designer brand. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023 Prices retail from $65 to $210 for apparel while footwear will retail from $200 to $220. Essence, 26 Oct. 2023 The underwear, which retails for $5,600, is covered in sequin and crystal embellishments. Dory Jackson, Peoplemag, 5 Nov. 2023 The new Prestige will retail for around $5.2 million as a base boat, or $6.2 million nicely loaded. Howard Walker, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2023 As the brand’s first Artist-in-Residence, Doja worked closely with the Skechers design team to create the sneakers, which retail for $125 and are available in a variety of vibrant and neutral colorways. Latifah Muhammad, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2023 The staple piece, which retails for $140 (but is currently on sale for $70) is a welcome addition to any closet. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2023
Noun
The region also is home to the car-free coastal town Las Catalinas, which will open its first commercial center, La Rambla, late next year, with residences, dining, offices and retail. Kathryn Romeyn, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2023 The company, whose industry clouds span sectors including healthcare and retail, reported in September that cloud revenue for quarter through August rose 30%, a slower rate than in the previous and year-earlier quarters. Isabelle Bousquette, WSJ, 17 Nov. 2023 La Cocina de Casa Cavia La Cocina restaurant is tucked inside Casa Cavia, a high-end retail and restaurant concept in Palermo. Megan Wood, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2023 The resort area of Wailea itself, in addition to great beaches, offers championship golf and luxury retail. Debbi Kickham, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 Christmas in Grapevine Christmas in Grapevine is about a lot more than food and retail. Jennifer Chappell Smith, Southern Living, 13 Nov. 2023 Estimates project that the Maui economy won’t recover to pre-Lahaina-fire levels until 2026, with accommodations, food services, and retail hit the hardest. Jack Kiyonaga, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Nov. 2023 After getting laid off from her corporate job at Wells Fargo, Levesque ventured into retail, working for a local shop and later opening her own store, Anica Boutique. Maia Torres, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2023 Distilled six times over, St. Royale is corn-based, gluten-free and honey-infused and retails for $23. Julie Jordan, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
Adjective
Breed said empty offices didn't tell a complete story about her city and that going forward, areas like downtown had to be adapted to be more than just retail. Julia Cherner, ABC News, 19 Nov. 2023 The team’s physical retail debut follows what Meli characterized as a greater-than-anticipated demand for San Diego FC gear at the October brand reveal. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Nov. 2023 The consumer restraint showed up across the economy in October, as retail sales fell by 0.1 percent from the previous month, the first such decline in six months, according to the Commerce Department. Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023 Brian Yarbrough, a retail analyst with financial services firm Edward Jones, said Walmart had a solid quarter. arkansasonline.com, 17 Nov. 2023 In 2022, the cost of retail returns in the U.S. reached a staggering $817 billion, with a quarter of it stemming from e-commerce. Heather Hoover-Salomon, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023 However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Get ready to rattle and hum: U2‘s Las Vegas residency resumes next week and tickets are selling fast. Anna Chan, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2023 The new Klawock port, on Prince of Wales Island, is poised to welcome large ships in the 2024 season with food and retail outposts, exhibits detailing Indigenous culture and history, and nature trails. Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023 Are any retail and grocery stores closed on Election Day? Bychris Morris, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French retaille cutting, deduction, retail, from retailler to cut out, from re- + tailler to cut — more at tailor

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1601, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1784, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of retail was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near retail

Cite this Entry

“Retail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retail. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

retail

1 of 4 verb
re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl How to pronounce retail (audio)
: to sell in small amounts to people for their own use
retailer noun

retail

2 of 4 noun
: the sale of products or goods in small quantities to people for their own use

retail

3 of 4 adjective
: of, relating to, or engaged in selling by retail
retail stores

retail

4 of 4 adverb
: in small quantities : from a retailer

More from Merriam-Webster on retail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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