grocery

noun

gro·​cery ˈgrōs-rē 

ˈgrō-sə-;

ˈgrōsh-rē 

plural groceries

1

groceries plural : the food and supplies sold by a grocer

—usually singular in British usage

2

: a grocer's store

Examples of grocery in a Sentence

She stopped to pick up some groceries for supper.

Recent Examples on the Web

Routine life—paying rent, getting groceries, reserving hotel rooms—is often far more expensive for single people (and especially single parents), who can’t as easily split costs or buy in bulk. —Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025

The tab for my total week’s groceries: a fairly reasonable $80. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2025

After all, the grocery chain goes to great lengths to supply its customers with interesting flavors at a price that's easy on the wallet—and there's no shortage of snack options either. —Sherri Gordon, Clc, Parents, 2 Apr. 2025

Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. —Ryley Amond, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English grocerye, grosery "merchandise sold by wholesalers, the Grocers' Company of London," borrowed from Anglo-French grocerie, groserie, from groser "wholesale dealer in preserved foods, spices, wine, etc." + -ie -y entry 2 — more at grocer

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grocery

• do (one's) grocery shopping
• go grocery shopping
• grocery bag
• grocery cart
• grocery list
• grocery store

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Kids Definition

grocery

noun

gro·​cery ˈgrōs-(ə-)rē 

plural groceries

1

plural : food sold by a grocer

went out to buy the groceries

2

: a grocer's store