delicatessen
/ˌdɛlɪkəˈtɛsən/ noun
Forms delicatessens delikatessen
- noun A shop that sells cooked or prepared foods ready for serving.
- noun Delicacies; exotic or expensive foods.
Synonyms
Etymology
First attested 1864. From German Delikatessen, plural of Delikatesse (“delicacy, fine food”), at the time also spelled Delicatesse(n), from French délicatesse, from délicat (“fine”), from Latin delicatus (“alluring”).
The sense of store is more recent, originating in ellipsis from the common attributive use, as in delicatessen shop, delicatessen store, etc.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Relishes for the table; dainties; delicacies. "A dealer in delicatessen". G. H. Putnam.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “delicatessen”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details