Definition

Noun 1. A market consisting of a street lined with small shops and stalls, especially in the Middle East or South Asia. 2. A fundraising sale of various donated goods, often for a charitable purpose. 3. (Dated, chiefly British) A shop or department store selling a wide variety of goods.

Examples

1. Market in the Middle East/South Asia:

   • We wandered through the bustling bazaar, smelling spices and admiring the handmade carpets.
   • The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world.

2. Fundraising sale:

   • The school is holding its annual holiday bazaar this Saturday.
   • She bought a lovely handmade quilt at the church bazaar.

3. Shop selling varied goods (dated):

   • He bought the toy from a local bazaar. (This usage is less common in modern American English).

Advanced Usage

• "a bazaar of ideas": A metaphorical use describing a lively, diverse, and sometimes chaotic exchange of thoughts or opinions.
  • The internet has become a global bazaar of ideas, information, and commerce.

Variants and Related Words

• Bazar: An alternative, less common spelling.
• Marketplace: A more general synonym, lacking the specific cultural connotations of a traditional Eastern bazaar.
• Flea market: A market for second-hand goods and antiques, similar in the variety of items sold but not typically for charity.
• Charity sale: A direct synonym for the fundraising meaning.

Synonyms

1. For meaning 1 (market): marketplace, souk (specifically Arab market), market street.
2. For meaning 2 (sale): fair, fundraiser, charity sale, jumble sale (UK).
3. For meaning 3 (shop): general store, emporium, variety store.

Related Phrases

• To hold a bazaar: To organize and run a fundraising sale event.
  • The women's club holds a bazaar every autumn to raise money for the library.

Noun

1. a sale of miscellany; often for charity
   • the church bazaar
2. a street of small shops (especially in Orient)
3. a shop where a variety of goods are sold