Retail

Definition

Retail refers to the sale of goods or services to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale.

Parts of Speech

Noun
Adjective

Pronunciation

American English

IPA Pronunciation: /ˈriːteɪl/
Respelling: REE-tail (with "REE" as in "see," and "tail" as in "tail")

British English

IPA Pronunciation: /ˈriːteɪl/
Respelling: REE-tail (similar to American English, with "REE" as in "see," and "tail" as in "tail")

In both dialects, "retail" is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable, "REE," followed by "tail." The pronunciation is consistent across both American and British English, making it straightforward and easy to recognize.

Etymology

The term "retail" originates from the Old French word "retaillier", which is a combination of "re-" (meaning 'back') and "taillier" (meaning 'to cut, trim').

Derivatives

Retailer
Retailing
Retailored
Retailor
Retailment

Synonyms

Sale
Resale
Vend

Antonyms

Wholesale
Bulk
Mass-market

Usage

Retail is used widely across various industries and sectors to signify the final step in the distribution of merchandise, being sold to the end consumers.

Related Terms

Retailer
Wholesale
Supply Chain
Point of Sale (POS)
Business-to-Consumer (B2C)

Detailed Definition

Noun

Sale Process: The sale of goods to the public in small quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale.‍
Example: The retail of clothing is one of the largest industries globally.

Business Sector: A sector comprising businesses that sell goods and services directly to consumers.‍
Example: He has been working in retail for over a decade.

Adjective

Pertaining to Retail: Relating to or denoting the sale of goods to the public in small quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale.‍
Example: Retail prices have been on the rise lately.

Retail-Level: Occurring at the retail level; involving direct interactions with the end consumers.‍
Example: Retail operations require a different skill set compared to wholesale operations.

retail

Retail is used widely across various industries and sectors to signify the final step in the distribution of merchandise, being sold to the end consumers.