retail English · revision 4593

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1365|origins=fro retaillier}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈriː.teɪl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|retailen]] (verb) and retail (noun),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|frm|retail|t=piece cut off, shred, scrap]] (feminine retaille),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from Old French retaillier “to cut off, pare, clip, divide”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from re- “back” and taillier “to cut, trim”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) the source of [[tailor]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The sense “sale by the piece” is not in French and probably comes from the Italian cognate ritaglio, which has it.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[detail]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The verb, to sell in small quantities: 1365 in the OED,^(OED 1989) 1419 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) the early 15th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The noun, sale in small quantities: 1413 in Barnhart, 1433 in the OED in adverbial phrases such as ''by retail''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Retail is selling in small quantities, as opposed to [[wholesale]], selling in large ones.^(Cresswell 2021)^(Etymonline) To recount, tell over again, is from 1594, in Shakespeare's Richard III,^(Barnhart 1988) the 1590s in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The adjective, of sale at retail, is from 1601.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) ''Retailer'' is from 1444, as retaillour.^(Barnhart 1988) The ''retail price index'' is from 1924.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1365 – verb, to sell in small quantities.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1413 – noun.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1444 – ''retailer''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1594 – to recount.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1601 – adjective.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1924 – ''retail price index''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The sale of goods in small quantities directly to the public.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or engaged in such sale: ''retail prices''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # At a retail price, or in small quantities.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To sell goods to the public, or to be sold at a given price.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To tell over again; to recount in detail.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[retailer]]

+ * [[e-tail]]

+ * [[nonretail]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tailor]]

+ * [[detail]]

+ * [[wholesale]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In the sense “to recount” the verb is often stressed on the second syllable.^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}