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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 boutique in a Sentence
Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Younger, Savvier – and Into Complications In 2026, the consumer walking into a watch retailer or brand’s boutique has read the forums, checked secondary market prices — and could even cost out a movement with surprising accuracy, as Pruniaux recalled from one encounter.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
In an unusual move for a boutique property, Sublime is home to nine restaurants across its portfolio, with a Japanese number on the way next year; Pessoa is personally inclined to all things culinary, hence the emphasis.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 1 May 2026
Near the Petaluma River, the colorful Metro Hotel & Cafe is a boutique spot with clawfoot tubs in some rooms, plus Airstream trailers.
—Pat Tompkins, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for boutique
Cite this Entry
“Boutique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boutique. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boutique
noun
from French boutique "shop"
Legal Definition
boutique
noun
