retailing
retailing Lexical Profile
retailing Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The commercial activity or business of selling goods directly to consumers in relatively small quantities for personal use rather than for resale.
"The rapid growth of online shopping has fundamentally transformed traditional brick-and-mortar retailing."
• verb
To sell goods directly to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale (present participle of retail).
"The company has been retailing organic skincare products through independent boutiques for over a decade."
To recount, relate, or repeat details of a story or piece of news at length to others (present participle of retail).
"He spent the entire dinner party retailing amusing anecdotes from his years working abroad."
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the verb 'retail', which entered Middle English via Old French 'retaillier', meaning 'to cut off, pare, or divide into small pieces' (from 're-' + 'taillier', to cut), referring to breaking up bulk shipments for individual sale.