retail Hear it!

retail definition

re·tail (rē′tāl′; for vt.2, usually ri tāl′)

noun

the sale of goods or articles individually or in small quantities directly to the consumer

Etymology: ME retaile < OFr retaille, lit., a cutting < retailler, to cut up < re-, again + tailler, to cut: see tailor

adjective

of, connected with, or engaged in the sale of goods at retail

adverb

in relatively small quantities or at a retail price

transitive verb

  1. to sell individually or in small quantities; sell directly to the consumer
  2. to repeat or pass on (gossip, secrets, etc.) to others

Etymology: ME retaylen

intransitive verb

to be sold at retail books that retail at a dollar

Related Forms:

retail Idioms

at retail

directly to the consumer at retail prices

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business retail definition - business

retail Synonyms

retail

modif.

direct, in small lots, by the piece, by the pound, singly, local, to the consumer, in small quantities, by the package.

Antonyms wholesale*, in large amounts, in quantity.


retail

v.

distribute, dispense, dispose of; see sell 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

retail Usage Examples

Used with adjective complement

  • include: The contexts include retail, care, childcare, health and safety and catering.

Adjective modifier

  • mobile: The average experience is just over four years, with no-one having more than 10 years ' experience in mobile retail.

Modifies a noun

  • outlet: The Guild has acquired the retail outlet situated at the bottom of Dalton Tower.

Modifying Another Word

  • normally: The iRiver iFP-180T 128MB MP3 Player normally retails at £ 79.00 - get yours here and now for only £ 24.99.

Noun used with modifier

  • sayswholesale: To slow cook help in place he sayswholesale retail.
retail usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

retail quotes

Retail is detail.

-Schultz, Howard

retail quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"retail." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/retail>

APA Style

retail. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/retail

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