boutique

noun

bou·​tique bü-ˈtēk 

often attributive

1

a

: a small shop dealing in fashionable clothing or accessories

b

: a small shop within a large department store

2

: a small company that offers highly specialized services or products

boutique wineries

an independent investment boutique

boutiquey

bü-ˈtē-kē 

adjective

Did you know?

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Saint Laurent is setting up shop at 72 Gansevoort Street with a two-story boutique that will be the French brand’s largest in New York City and the first of its new design concept. —Rhonda Richford, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024

Before Amrit, the only new high-end hotel to open on Palm Beach Island was the small, boutique White Elephant, back in early 2020. —Beth Landman, Robb Report, 10 Dec. 2024

What to do Unmissable art fairs range from small boutique shows such as Turbine Art Show and RMB Latitudes to FNB Art Joburg, which is one of the biggest in the country. —Mary Holland, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Dec. 2024

In 2024, Scottsdale Fashion Square added 15 new businesses, from an Italian restaurant to an influencer-favorite fashion boutique. —Mark Jones, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, shop, probably from Old Occitan botica, ultimately from Greek apothēkē storehouse — more at apothecary

First Known Use

1767, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

boutique

noun

bou·​tique bü-ˈtēk 

: a small fashionable store

Etymology

from French boutique "shop"

Legal Definition

boutique

noun

bou·​tique bü-ˈtēk 

: a small company that offers highly specialized services or products

specifically : a small law firm that offers services in one or a small number of legal areas