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Apothecaries, Bodegas, and Boutiques
Apothecary, bodega, and boutique may not look very similar, but they are all related both in meaning and in origin. Each of these words can be traced back to a Latin word for “storehouse” (apotheca), and each one refers in English to a retail establishment of some sort. Although bodega initially meant “a storehouse for wine,” it now most commonly refers to a grocery store in an urban area, especially one that specializes in Hispanic groceries. Boutique has also taken on new meanings: its first sense in English (“a small retail store”) is still current, but it now may also denote “a small company that offers highly specialized products or services.” Of the three words, apothecary has changed the least; it has gone from referring solely to the person who sells drugs or medicines to also naming the store where such goods are sold.
Examples of bodega in a Sentence
Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 18 May 2025
From bodega doorways, teens in hoodies glare, one hand on the bulge behind their belt.
—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2025
Done in This City Without Losing Your Mind Most bodegas sell stamps.
—The Editors, Curbed, 9 May 2025
Unlike the bodega bag or admission to the Metropolitan Museum, parking, with enough wiles and time, can still be had for free.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bodega
Cite this Entry
“Bodega.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bodega. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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