retail

pronunciation

How to pronounce retail in British English: UK [ˈriːteɪl , rɪˈteɪl] word uk audio image

How to pronounce retail in American English: US [ˈriːteɪl , rɪˈteɪl] word us audio image

Noun:

the selling of goods to consumers; usually in small quantities and not for resale
Verb:

be sold at the retail level
sell on the retail market
Adjective:

selling or related to selling direct to the consumer
Adverb:

at a retail price

Word Origin

retail: retail: [14] Retail etymologically denotes the sale of ‘cut-off’ bits, hence sale in small quantities. It comes from Old French retaille ‘piece cut off’, a derivative of retaillier ‘cut up’. This was a compound verb formed from the intensive prefix re- and taillier ‘cut’ (source of English tailor). It use in English for ‘sell in small quantities’ was probably inspired by the Italian retagliare, which has the same meaning. The figurative sense ‘relate, tell’ appeared at the end of the 16th century.=> tailor

retail (v.): mid-14c. "sell in small quantities or parcels," from Old French retaillier "cut back, cut off, pare, clip, reduce, circumcise," from re- "back" (see re-) + taillier "to cut, trim" (see tailor (n.)). Sometimes also "to deal out (information, etc.) in small quantities; hand down by report; recount, tell over again" (1590s). Related: Retailed; retailing.

retail (n.): early 15c., "sale of commodities in small quantities or parcels or at second hand" (opposed to wholesale), from Old French retail "piece cut off, shred, scrap, paring" (Modern French retaille), from retaillier (see retail (v.)). The notion of the English word is "a selling by the piece." This sense is not in French, however, and comes perhaps from cognate Italian ritaglio, which does have that sense. As an adjective, "of or pertaining to sale at retail," c. 1600.