wholesale
/ˈhoʊlseɪl/ noun, adjective, adverb, verb
Forms wholesales wholesaling wholesaled
- noun (business) The sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants.
- adjective Of or relating to sale in large quantities, for resale.
- adjective (figurative) Extensive, indiscriminate, all-encompassing; blanket. “The bombing resulted in wholesale destruction.”
- adverb In bulk or large quantity.
- adverb (figurative) Indiscriminately.
- verb To sell at wholesale.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From whole + sale.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Sale of goods by the piece or large quantity, as distinguished from retail. By wholesale, in the mass; in large quantities; without distinction or discrimination.
- adjective Pertaining to, or engaged in, trade by the piece or large quantity; selling to retailers or jobbers rather than to consumers; as, a wholesale merchant; the wholesale price.
- adjective Extensive and indiscriminate; as, wholesale slaughter. "A time for wholesale trust." Mrs. Humphry Ward.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “wholesale”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details