Definition

Noun: An informal, usually outdoor, market where individuals sell unwanted personal or household items directly from the trunk (British English: boot) of their car. It is a common event in the UK and some other countries, similar to a garage sale or yard sale but centralized in a public location like a field or car park.

Usage

This term functions as a countable noun. It describes the event itself. - You can have, hold, organize, or go to a car boot sale. - You can buy things at or from a car boot sale. - You can sell things at a car boot sale.

Examples

Advanced Usage / Nuances

• The term is primarily British. In American English, the equivalent concept is often called a "flea market," "swap meet," or "yard sale," though the specific setup of selling from a vehicle's trunk is less emphasized.
• Car boot sales are often associated with finding second-hand bargains, antiques, or collectibles.
• The phrase implies a casual, community-oriented event rather than a professional commercial operation.

Variants and Related Words

• Boot sale: A common shortened, informal form of "car boot sale."
  • Let's go to the boot sale early to get the best stuff.
• Flea market: (Mainly US) A market selling second-hand goods and antiques.
• Yard sale / Garage sale: (Mainly US) A sale of used household goods held at the seller's home.
• Jumble sale: (UK) A sale of miscellaneous second-hand goods, often for charity, but not necessarily from car boots.

Synonyms

• Flea market
• Swap meet
• (Outdoor) market
• Rummage sale

Related Idioms / Phrases

• To pick up a bargain at a car boot sale: To find and buy something for a very good price.
  • He's great at picking up bargains at car boot sales; he found a first edition book last week.
• Car boot sale find: Refers to an item discovered and purchased at such a sale.
  • That chair isn't an antique; it's just a car boot sale find I restored.

Noun

1. an outdoor sale at which people sell things from the trunk of their car