boutique

noun

bou·​tique bü-ˈtēk How to pronounce boutique (audio)
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 adjective

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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

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Designer Lauren Garrett sourced a 16th-century Aubusson tapestry from her own boutique Galerie Was, as a backdrop for the custom sofa. Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2025 The Hotel’s History The boutique hotel is situated in a 14th century palazzo that was originally built as a convent; 500 years later it was transformed by Sister Maria Raimonda Fuentes to shelter and provide education for underprivileged girls. Laurie Werner, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 Giancola now owns the Sweetheart Coast boutique shop on the Ocean City boardwalk. Chris Jordan, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025 In November, the brand opened its first U.S. boutique in the Bal Harbour Shops in Miami. Luisa Zargani, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for boutique

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of boutique was in 1767

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Cite this Entry

“Boutique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boutique. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

boutique

noun
bou·​tique bü-ˈtēk How to pronounce boutique (audio)
: a small fashionable store
Etymology

from French boutique "shop"

Legal Definition

boutique

noun
bou·​tique bü-ˈtēk How to pronounce boutique (audio)
: 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

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