"Grocery" is one of those words that we use so often without thinking about it. If you really focus on the word, and say it over a few times, it starts to sound a little weird. It's certainly not an appetizing word. It actually has "gross" in it. Yech.
So where did this word come from? What the actual heck is a grocery? Well, we're going to clear that up for you.
The word "grocery" first showed up in English in the early 1300s. It comes from the Old French word "grosserie," which meant "wholesaler." This came from the Latin word "crassus," which meant "thick" or "coarse," which is kind of weird. Were wholesalers in the old days known to be coarse? That's a mystery we may never solve.
When the word "grocery" first showed up in English, it referred to spices and other items that were sold by weight. This makes sense when you think about the Latin root "crassus," which refers to something being thick or coarse.
Later on, the meaning of the word shifted to refer to anything that was sold in a shop. So, if you went to a grocery store in the 1400s, you would find a whole lot more than just spices.
In the United States, the word "grocery" took on a bit of a different meaning. In the early days of America, there were two types of stores - groceries and apothecaries. Groceries sold dry goods like grains, beans, and rice, while apothecaries sold things like medicine and alcohol.
In the United States, the word "grocery" took on a bit of a different meaning. In the early days of America, there were two types of stores - groceries and apothecaries. Groceries sold dry goods like grains, beans, and rice, while apothecaries sold things like medicine and alcohol.
So, the word "grocery" came to mean any store that sold household goods, including food, drink, and medicine.
The word "apothecary" eventually fell out of use in the United States and was replaced by the word "pharmacy."
Even though the word "grocery" has a bit of a weird history, it's still the most common word used to refer to this type of store. It's likely because the word is so ingrained in our language and culture.
If you go to Europe, you'll find that the word "grocery" is still used to refer to stores that sell dry goods. In the United Kingdom, the word "grocer" is used to refer to someone who owns or works in a grocery store.
In the United States, the word "grocery store" is often shortened to just "grocery." This is likely because we Americans are always looking for ways to save time and simplify our lives.
You know what's gross? Wasting hours of your life each week just on going to the grocery store for your food shopping. At Caboodle, we've found a better way.
Our grocery delivery service is really simple. Each week, you spend 6 minutes putting together your cart from a huge variety of curated grocery bundles. Then we deliver it straight to your front door. Think of all the time that saves you from doing other things like petting your cat or trying to get your cat to stop tearing down your decorations.
Best of all, Caboodle actually saves you money over going to the store!