retail

1 of 4

verb

re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl 

especially for sense 2 also ri-ˈtāl

retailed; retailing; retails

transitive verb

1

: to sell in small quantities directly to the ultimate consumer

2

: tell, retell

intransitive verb

: to sell at retail

retailer noun

retail

2 of 4

noun

re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl 

: the sale of commodities or goods in small quantities to ultimate consumers

also : the industry of such selling

see also:

at retail

retail

3 of 4

adjective

re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl 

: of, relating to, or engaged in the sale of commodities at retail

retail trade

retail

4 of 4

adverb

re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl 

: in small quantities : from a retailer

Synonyms of retail

Verb

• sell
• market

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Prices will swing between 900 euros for footwear and 1,300 euros for bags, while the most intricate apparel pieces will retail at around 7,000 euros. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026

Compare that to the NestWorks C500 milling machine, which retails for $6,000 and is compact enough to sit on a desktop, shaping titanium and stainless steel to within a third of the width of a human hair. — Joe Mullich, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Noun

Strong consumer interest reinforced the brand’s investment in brick-and-mortar retail, said Antoine Mothay, cofounder of Polène. — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Hill said the company plans to refresh its physical retail, spearhead a digital cleanup and create higher quality experiences for consumers. — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Adjective

The $398 Very Sexy Shine Fantasy Bra is a separate retail version inspired by that runway piece. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026

To keep shoppers in their retail ecosystem, Costco and Sam's Club keep fuel prices considerably cheaper than traditional gas stations. — Dan Avery, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

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

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1601, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1784, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing retail

• at retail
• retail park
• the retail price index

Rhymes for retail

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

Kids Definition

retail

1 of 4 verb

re·​tail ˈrē-ˌtāl 

: 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