ENGLISH
REFERENCE

grocery

n. · v.
US //ˈɡɹoʊsɝi// UK //ɡɹˈəʊsəɹi// gro·cery
  1. 1 food and household items (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    food and other things for the home that you buy at a supermarket or store.

    foodstuffs and various household supplies sold by a grocer or at a supermarket. Usually used in the plural form 'groceries'.

    Example

    We need to buy some groceries for the weekend because the fridge is empty.

    Example

    After a long day at work, she stopped to pick up some groceries, including fresh produce and several household staples for the week ahead.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the plural when referring to the items themselves.
  2. 2 the shop (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a shop that sells food and small items for the home.

    a retail establishment that sells food and household supplies; a grocery store.

    Example

    Is there a grocery near here where I can get some milk?

    Example

    The small independent grocery on the corner struggled to compete once the international supermarket chain opened a branch nearby.

    Usage

    Often used as an attributive noun in 'grocery store' or 'grocery bag'.
  3. 3 to go shopping (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    to go out and buy food and household items.

    to engage in the act of grocery shopping. This use is informal and often intransitive.

    Example

    I spent the whole morning grocerying because we had no food left.

    Example

    They spent their Saturday morning grocerying for the upcoming holiday party, navigating the crowded aisles with a growing list of ingredients.

    Usage

    Usually used as a gerund or in the continuous tense.
Origin

From Middle English grocerye, equivalent to grocer + -y. Compare gross. Doublet of groceria.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 19, 2026