ENGLISH
REFERENCE

retail

n. · adj. · v. · adv.
US //ˈɹiˌteɪɫ// UK //ɹˈiːteɪl// re·tail
  1. 1 the business of selling (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Business

    the activity of selling goods to the public in shops or online.

    the commercial sector involved in selling products directly to end-users rather than to wholesalers or other businesses.

    Example

    She has worked in retail for five years, mostly in clothing shops.

    Example

    The shift toward e-commerce has forced traditional retail giants to rethink their physical storefront strategies to remain competitive.
  2. 2 full price (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Business

    the full price of an item before any discounts or sales.

    the suggested or standard price of a commodity before the application of discounts, rebates, or promotional offers.

    Example

    I never pay retail for electronics; I always wait for a holiday sale.

    Example

    While the manufacturer's suggested price is high, few consumers actually pay retail due to the prevalence of seasonal markdowns.

    Usage

    Often used in the phrase 'pay retail'.
    • list price
    • full price
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  1. 3 relating to selling to the public (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Business

    describing things related to shops and selling to customers.

    pertaining to the sale of goods or services directly to individuals.

    Example

    The new retail park has plenty of parking for shoppers.

    Example

    The city council approved the development of a new retail space designed to attract high-end boutique brands to the downtown area.
  2. 4 to be sold at a price (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Business

    to be sold at a specific price in shops.

    to be sold at a specified price to the general public.

    Example

    This new smartphone will retail for about six hundred dollars.

    Example

    The luxury watch is expected to retail at a significant premium compared to the previous generation's entry-level model.

    Usage

    Usually followed by 'for' or 'at'.
  3. 5 to repeat information (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary Archaic

    to tell a story or piece of news to other people.

    to recount or relate a story, news, or gossip to others.

    Example

    He was happy to retail all the latest gossip from the office.

    Example

    She spent the evening retailing the details of her travels to an increasingly bored audience of relatives.
  4. 6 in small quantities (adv.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Business

    selling in small amounts directly to the person who will use the product.

    in a retail manner; directly to the consumer in small quantities.

    Example

    The company decided to sell its products retail instead of through a middleman.

    Example

    By selling retail, the artisan was able to maintain higher profit margins than if they had used a distributor.
Origin

From the Old French verb retaillier.

Word family

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