Definition

1. Noun:
   • A large retail store that sells a wide variety of food and household goods, typically organized into aisles. It operates on a self-service basis, where customers select items and pay for them at checkout counters.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • I need to go to the supermarket to buy milk, bread, and cleaning supplies.
  • This supermarket is open 24 hours a day.
  • The new supermarket has a great selection of organic produce.

Advanced Usage

• "Supermarket" as a concept: The term can be used metaphorically to describe a place or situation with an overwhelming variety of choices.
  • The online course platform is like a supermarket of learning opportunities.

Variants and Related Words

• Supermarket is a compound word formed from "super-" (meaning above, beyond, or large in scale) and "market." There are no direct inflectional variants (e.g., supermarkets, supermarket's).
• Hypermarket (noun): An even larger store that combines a supermarket and a department store.
• Grocery store (noun): A store selling groceries; a supermarket is a specific, typically larger type of grocery store.

Synonyms

• Grocery store: A store where food and small household items are sold.
• Food market: A place where food is sold to the public.
• Superstore: A very large store, often selling a wide range of products.

Related Phrases and Collocations

• Supermarket chain: A company that operates multiple supermarket stores.
  • She works for a major supermarket chain.
• Supermarket aisle: A passageway between shelves in a supermarket.
  • You'll find the pasta in aisle seven.
• Supermarket trolley (UK) / shopping cart (US): A wheeled cart used by customers to hold their selections while shopping.

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning of supermarket is tied to its self-service model and its scale, which distinguishes it from smaller, clerk-assisted grocery shops or specialty food stores. It primarily sells groceries (food and drink) and household goods (like cleaning products and basic utensils).

Noun

1. a large self-service grocery store selling groceries and dairy products and household goods