greengrocer n : a grocer who sells fresh fruits and vegetables

English

Etymology

green + grocer

Noun

1. In the context of "mostly|UK": A person who sells fresh vegetables and fruit, normally from a relatively small shop

Derived terms

• greengroceress
• greengrocery
• greengrocer's apostrophe

Translations

A greengrocer is a retail trader in fruit and vegetables; that is, in green groceries. Greengrocer is primarily a British term, and greengrocers' shops were once common in towns and villages. They have been affected by the dominant rise of supermarkets, but many can be found managing small shops or stores in towns and cities and in some villages. Greengrocers can also be found in street markets and malls, or managing produce departments at supermarkets. Such traders typically handle the entire business of buying, selling, and book-keeping themselves.

• Because of its frequent misuse on greengrocers' signs, such as for apple's, orange's or banana's, an unnecessary apostrophe used to form a plural is known as a greengrocers' apostrophe.

See also

• Steve Thoburn
• Pete Luckett
• Joe Carcione

baker, bookdealer, bookseller, butcher, chandler, clothing merchant, confectioner, draper, drysalter, fishmonger, fishwife, florist, footwear merchant, fruiterer, furnisher, furrier, grocer, groceryman, haberdasher, hardwareman, ironmonger, jeweler, liquor merchant, newsdealer, perfumer, poulterer, saddler, stationer, tobacconist, vintner, wine merchant