# supermarket

/ˈsupɝˌmɑɹkɪt/ (US) · /sˈuːpəmˌɑːkɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/supermarket
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a large grocery store

noun · CEFR A1

a large shop where you choose your own food and household items from shelves.

For teachers: a large self-service retail store that primarily sells food, beverages, and household supplies.

- I need to go to the supermarket to buy some milk and bread for breakfast.
- The local supermarket has expanded its organic section to meet the growing consumer demand for pesticide-free produce.

### 2. a retail chain

noun · CEFR B2

a company that owns many large shops with the same name.

For teachers: a commercial enterprise or corporate chain that operates multiple large-scale retail outlets.

- The supermarket announced it would stop using plastic bags in all its stores.
- The multinational supermarket reported record profits this quarter despite increasing competition from discount retailers.

### 3. figurative one-stop shop

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a place or service that offers many different things in one location.

For teachers: a metaphorical reference to a place, platform, or service providing a comprehensive range of options or products.

- This website is a supermarket for cheap travel deals and hotel bookings.
- The new community centre acts as a social supermarket, offering everything from legal advice to childcare and fitness classes.

## Examples

- I need to go to the supermarket to buy some milk.
- The new supermarket on the corner stays open late so people can shop after work.
- Modern supermarket chains often utilize sophisticated logistics networks to ensure that fresh produce is available to consumers regardless of the local growing season.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.