Minimarket

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small retail store that sells groceries, snacks, beverages, and basic household items, typically open extended hours and located in residential neighborhoods or commercial areas
2. A compact retail establishment that offers a range of food, drink, and everyday household products, usually operating for long hours in convenient locations
3. A relatively small store that provides essential groceries, snacks, and personal care items, often situated within easy reach of communities or workplaces

Etymology: Minimarket is a plain compound: "mini-", a clipping of "miniature" (ultimately from Latin "minimus", "smallest"), joined to "market", a word that came into English from Old French "marchié" and ultimately from Latin "mercatus", meaning trade or a place of trading. Put together, the word describes a small shop that sells everyday groceries and goods, a shrunken version of the larger market or supermarket. The "mini-" element has become productive in English, appearing in words like "minibus" and "minicab", which is why the pattern is easy to recognize. The compound is transparent, so its meaning comes straight from its two parts with little shift from their original senses.

Synonyms: convenience store, grocery store, corner shop