DictionaryAI

retail

SayREE-tayl/ˈɹiˌteɪl/UK/ˈɹiːteɪl/

Verbretails, retailing, retailed

8 meanings of retail

Practice

  1. 1
    shop-frontadjective
    Having to do with selling goods or services straight to ordinary shoppers, or with dealing with people one at a time.

    The store's retail prices are higher than what it charges wholesale buyers.

    She manages the retail side of the family business.

    UsageUsually before a noun: retail stores, retail prices.

    Oppositewholesale

    Note
  2. 2
    noununcountable
    The selling of goods straight to the people who use them, through stores, mail order, and websites.

    Like a farmer selling vegetables straight to families instead of to a big company.

    Many people work in retail, helping customers in stores.

    Online retail has grown quickly over the past few years.

    UsageSay she works in retail.

    Similarsales, merchandising

    Oppositewholesale

  3. 3
    verbtransitive
    To sell goods in small amounts straight to the people who will use them.

    Like selling cookies one box at a time to neighbors instead of to a big shop.

    They retail handmade soaps directly to local buyers.

    The bakery retails its bread through three small shops.

    Similarsell, vend, market

    Oppositewholesale

  4. 4
    full pricenouncolloquialuncountable
    The full price of something before any discount or sale.

    Like the price on the tag before any 'sale' sticker covers it.

    I refused to pay full retail for the jacket.

    These sneakers cost eighty dollars at retail.

    UsagePeople say they never pay retail.

    Note
  5. 5
    adverb
    Straight to the people who use the goods, in small amounts, or at full price.

    You'll pay more if you buy retail instead of in bulk.

    The factory sells its furniture retail as well as wholesale.

    UsageSay buy retail or sell retail. The opposite is wholesale.

    Oppositewholesale

  6. 6
    noununcountable
    In finance, selling shares and other investments to ordinary people, not to big firms.

    The company saved some of its new shares for retail, so ordinary people could buy them.

    Many retail investors now buy shares on their phones.

    Oppositewholesale

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 7
    Sayri-TAYL/ɹɪˈteɪl/
    spread rumorsverbtransitive
    To pass on news or stories by telling them to other people.

    Like passing a juicy secret from one person to the next.

    He loves to retail gossip about the neighbors.

    She retailed the rumor to everyone at the office.

    UsageYou retail a story to someone.

    Similarrepeat, spread, relate, recount, circulate

    Note
  2. 8
    verbarchaic
    To sell again goods that were bought from another seller.
    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of retail apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from an Old French verb, retaillier.

Checked 7 Nov 2026 · 1 fact