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Apothecaries, Bodegas, and Boutiques
Apothecary, bodega, and boutique may not look very similar, but they are all related both in meaning and in origin. Each of these words can be traced back to a Latin word for “storehouse” (apotheca), and each one refers in English to a retail establishment of some sort. Although bodega initially meant “a storehouse for wine,” it now most commonly refers to a grocery store in an urban area, especially one that specializes in Hispanic groceries. Boutique has also taken on new meanings: its first sense in English (“a small retail store”) is still current, but it now may also denote “a small company that offers highly specialized products or services.” Of the three words, apothecary has changed the least; it has gone from referring solely to the person who sells drugs or medicines to also naming the store where such goods are sold.
Examples of boutique in a Sentence
Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
And in a boutique vs. online? • What are the revenues by product type in wholesale (B2B)?
—Matteo Atti, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
The event included Christmas caroling, boutique shopping and guest speaker Anna Johns.
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025
In this case, the initial idea (to conjure an olfactory identity for its boutiques and special events) evolved into something more significant.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 19 Jan. 2025
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Dictionary Entries Near boutique
Cite this Entry
“Boutique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boutique. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boutique
noun
from French boutique "shop"
Legal Definition
boutique
noun
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