Delicatessen Meaning
/ˌdɛlɪkəˈtɛsən/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA shop that sells cooked or prepared foods ready for serving.
nounDelicacies; exotic or expensive foods.
Sentence Examples
A delicatessen caught fire and burned down, leaving a heap of ashes.
Sorry, where can I find a delicatessen?
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
I bought imported cheese at a small ____ downtown yesterday.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A ____ caught fire and burned down, leaving a heap of ashes.
Word Origin & History
First attested 1864. From German Delikatessen, plural of Delikatesse (“delicacy, fine food”), at the time also spelt Delicatesse(n), from French délicatesse, from délicat (“fine”), from Latin delicatus (“alluring”). The sense of store is much more recent, originating in ellipsis from the common attributive use, as in delicatessen shop, delicatessen store, etc.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I shall have Royal Climax sausages every Tuesday and Saturday. Leave your orders early as there is a demand for these delicious delicatessen. J. W. Galloway."
— 1902 April 30, “Local and Personal”, in The Chilliwack Progress, 12th year, number 4 (576 overall), Chilliwack, B.C., →ISSN, →OCLC, page [5], column 1:
"A taxi, after mounting the sidewalk, had finished up with its radiator buried in a pile of delicatessen."
— 1951, John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, published 1954, page 53:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
I bought imported cheese at a small ____ downtown yesterday.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A ____ caught fire and burned down, leaving a heap of ashes.