What does store mean?
Store most commonly denotes a shop where goods are sold, but it also means a stock of supplies or a place where items are kept. As a verb, it describes putting goods, money, documents, or information somewhere safe so that they will be available later. The word can also mean supplying a shop with merchandise, reserving something for future use, or concealing it from view. These senses share an underlying idea of keeping something safely and making it available when needed. In everyday British and American English, the noun store often refers to a grocery or general retail business, although shop is especially common in British speech. The verb is broad and appears in contexts ranging from household storage to finance, computing, and data preservation. Its established collocations, including grocery store, convenience store, and store away, reflect these practical and organizational uses.
A retail establishment where goods are sold; a stock or supply of goods; or a place where goods or materials are kept.
"The corner store sells groceries and household essentials."
Store is especially common in British and American retail contexts; shop is frequently used as an alternative.
To keep something for future use, stock or supply goods, reserve something, or conceal it in a safe place.
"They stored the extra chairs in the garage."
The precise meaning depends on context: storing data or supplies suggests preservation, while storing an object in a concealed location can suggest secrecy.
Use the plural when referring to multiple retail establishments, stocks, or stores.
"The chain operates stores in several large cities."
The word began with the idea of a place for putting things away, a meaning that survives in every modern use.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does store come from?
The word comes through Old French estor, meaning a place where goods were kept or offered for sale, from Latin stōra, a place for storing things. The modern sense of a retail shop developed from the older sense of a storehouse or place of storage. The Latin word was itself adopted into English through French and developed into the family of words storage, storable, and storekeeper.
Related word forms
How store is actually used
In British English, store is commonly used for any retail establishment, while in American English shop is also very common. The phrase 'in store' means available for purchase, and 'store away' means to put something away for future use. The verb can suggest careful preservation, as in storing memories, or concealment, as in storing something in a safe place.
Easily confused with store
A store is a place where goods are sold or kept, whereas a story is an account of events or a narrative.