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Definition of groceries
groceries
/ˈɡroʊ.sɚ.iz/
gro · cer · ies
Plural:groceries
groceries Lexical Profile
CEFR
A2
Grade
2
Tier
1
Usage
Top 5k
groceries Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
Items of food and other household supplies bought at a supermarket or store.
Example
"She unloaded the groceries from the trunk of the car and began putting them away in the pantry."
2
Retail stores that primarily sell food and related household items.
Example
"There are several independent groceries opening up in the newly developed neighborhood."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for groceriesWord Nuance & Usage
While the singular 'grocery' frequently refers to the store itself, the plural 'groceries' is almost exclusively used to refer to the food and household goods purchased there.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Middle English 'grosser' (a wholesale merchant), from Old French 'grossier', based on Medieval Latin 'grossarius' (one who buys and sells in gross, or bulk quantities).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Groceries. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/groceries