deli

noun

ˈde-lē 

plural delis

: a store where ready-to-eat food products (such as cooked meats and prepared salads) are sold : delicatessen

You shuffle off to the deli and pick up a pastrami-on-rye and an egg cream. The bald man behind the counter whistles cheerfully as he slices the meat.

—Jay McInerney

Sixth Avenue in midtown was once lined with convenient, low-priced delis, cafeterias, coffee shops, and the like.

—Brendan Gill

also : the food sold at a delicatessen

If you're hungry for deli in Miami, only the Rascal House will do.

—Norman Kolpas

… a neat, orderly, well-lighted place so clean you could eat deli off the floor …

—Jack Fincher

—often used before another noun

deli meats/platters

waiting in line at the deli counter

Examples of deli in a Sentence

We bought sandwiches and drinks at the deli.

Recent Examples on the Web

On Monday morning, signs began springing up outside participating delis advertising the fake egg options, like a bacon, egg and cheese. —Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2025

Classic meats and killer pretzels (not to mention a wonderful adjacent bakery, deli and market) are inarguably fun and delicious. —Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025

That means grocery, dairy, frozen food, seafood, meat and fresh produce, deli and full-service bakery. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025

Two months earlier, a listeria outbreak among certain Boar's Head deli meats led to the discontinuation of liverwurst from its lineup of cold cuts. —Peter Burke, Fox News, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deli

• belly
• felly
• jelly
• kellie
• melly
• nellie
• nelly
• shelly
• skelly
• smellie
• smelly
• tele

Kids Definition

deli

noun

ˈdel-ē 

plural delis

: delicatessen sense 2