grocery
B1Neutral to informal
Definition
Meaning
A store that sells food and other household items.
The food and other goods sold by such a store; the category of such stores or the business of selling such goods.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a countable noun ('a grocery') referring to the store, and an uncountable noun ('grocery') or plural noun ('groceries') referring to the goods purchased. The singular form 'grocery' for goods is less common than 'groceries'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'grocery' is less commonly used for the store itself; 'supermarket', 'grocer's', or 'corner shop' are more frequent. In the US, 'grocery store' is the standard term. The plural 'groceries' for goods is common in both.
Connotations
In the US, neutral and standard. In the UK, can sound slightly formal or commercial when referring to the store (e.g., 'the grocery sector').
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English. In UK English, the plural 'groceries' is more common than the singular 'grocery'.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
go to the grocery storepick up some groceriesdo the grocery shoppingunpack the groceriesVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms with 'grocery' as the core word]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in retail, logistics, and economics (e.g., 'grocery industry', 'grocery sales').
Academic
Rare; may appear in sociological or economic studies of consumption.
Everyday
Very common in discussions of shopping, errands, and household management.
Technical
Used in supply chain management and retail analytics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form]
American English
- [No standard verb form]
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form]
American English
- [No standard adverb form]
adjective
British English
- The grocery sector is highly competitive.
- She works in grocery retail.
American English
- We need a new grocery list.
- He manages a grocery chain.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I go to the grocery store every week.
- We need milk and bread from the grocery.
- Could you help me carry the groceries upstairs?
- She made a list before her grocery shopping.
- Online grocery delivery has become incredibly popular.
- The rising cost of groceries is affecting household budgets.
- The multinational corporation consolidated its grocery holdings across several continents.
- Innovations in the grocery industry often focus on supply chain efficiency and customer experience.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'GROW-cery' – you grow food, and you buy food at a grocery.
Conceptual Metaphor
SUSTENANCE IS A COMMODITY (groceries as packaged sustenance).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'продуктовый' for the store; 'grocery store' or 'supermarket' is better. 'Groceries' translates to 'продукты', not 'бакалея' (which is more specific).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'grocery' as a countable plural (*'I bought three groceries' – incorrect for items; use 'three grocery items'). Confusing 'grocery' (store/goods) with 'greengrocer' (specific fruit/veg seller).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'grocery' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. As a store, it's countable ('a grocery', 'two groceries'). As the category of goods, it's usually uncountable ('the cost of grocery') or used in the plural ('buy groceries').
A 'grocery' (store) is any store selling food and household items. A 'supermarket' is a large, self-service grocery store. All supermarkets are groceries, but not all groceries are supermarkets (e.g., a small corner shop).
No. 'Groceries' is always plural when referring to the items purchased. You cannot have 'a groceries'. You can have 'a grocery item' or 'a bag of groceries'.
Yes. In the US, 'grocery store' is the default term. In the UK, 'supermarket', 'shop', or 'grocer's' is more common for the store, while 'groceries' for the goods is common in both.