Mongeries

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An establishment or venue specializing in the sale of various goods or commodities
2. A place where different types of merchandise are offered for sale or trade
3. A shop or market known for a diverse collection of products available to consumers

Etymology: "Mongeries" is the plural of "mongery," which is built from "monger" with the suffix "-y." The base word "monger" is an old English element meaning a dealer or trader, as in "fishmonger" or "ironmonger," where it names the person who sells a particular kind of goods. Adding "-y" turns that trader into the place or trade where such dealing happens, so a mongery is where merchandise changes hands. The plural form, "mongeries," simply applies the usual rule for nouns ending in a consonant plus "y," changing the "y" to "ies." Because the word is a plain combination of an existing noun and a suffix, its history is straightforward: the sense of the base has stayed close to the original idea of buying and selling goods.