Hello, everyone!
List of useful vocabulary for supermarkets and grocery stores.
ESL Supermarket Vocabulary List with Definitions
This part of the page has the ESL supermarket vocabulary list with definitions. You will need to know all of these words if you are going to be able to understand shopping in a supermarket.
Aisle: A passage between the rows of shelves in a supermarket. (noun)
Alcoholic drink: Intoxicating liquids that people consume. (noun)
Apple: Fruit of the apple tree. (noun)
Assistant: A person who helps other people (the shoppers). (noun)
Automatic doors: The entrance to a shop or building that opens without a person having to push. (noun)
Banana: A yellow fruit that grows in bunches. (noun)
Basket: A container for holding goods. (noun)
Batteries: Electric cells for storing electricity. (noun)
Bedding: The covers used for warmth on bed. (noun)
Beef: The meat from cows. (noun)
Beer: An alcoholic drink made from hops and barley. (noun)
Biscuits: Small savoury or sweet thin dry cakes. (noun)
Bottled water: A clear natural drink in a bottle. (noun)
Bread: Food baked and made from flour and yeast. (noun)
Bunch: A group of things fastened together. (noun)
Butter: An oily substance to spread on bread. (noun)
Cafe: A seating area where food and drinks are served. (noun)
Cake: A sweet soft food made from eggs, sugar, flour and fat. (noun)
Car Park: An area for leaving cars and other vehicles. (noun)
Carrier bag: A plastic container used to carry shopping home. (noun)
Carrot: A long orange root vegetable. (noun)
Cart: A large basket on wheels for carrying shopping (US English, same as trolley). (noun)
Cashier*: The person who works at a check-out and takes the money (same as check-out operator). (noun)
Cat food: The products made especially for cats to eat. (noun)
Celery: A long crisp green vegetable. (noun)
Cereal: A breakfast food made from grain. (noun)
Check-out operator: The person who works at a check-out and takes the money (same as cashier). (noun)
Check-out: An exit where payment is made for the products bought. (noun)
Cheese: A dairy product made from milk. (noun)
Chicken: A bird from which eggs are obtained, and which can be eaten. (noun)
Chocolate: A sweet made from the cocoa bean. (noun)
Cigarettes: A stick made from tobacco that is smoked and cause people to become ill. (noun)
Cigars: A thick stick made from dried tobacco leaves that is smoked. (noun)
Citrus fruit: A group of fruits that contains lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits. (noun)
Cling-film: A transparent wrapping sheet for covering food. (noun)
Clothing: Items to cover the body. (noun)
Coffee: A drink made from the coffee bean. (noun)
Coupon: A piece of paper that can be used to get a discount on the price of a product. (noun)
Cutlery: Knives, forks and spoons to use when eating. (noun)
Dairy section: The area where milk based products are sold. (noun)
Deli: The area where pre-cooked and pre-prepared foods are sold. (noun)
Diesel: A type of fuel for cars and lorries. (noun)
Display: An arrangement of products so customer can see them. (noun)
Dog food: The products made especially for dogs to eat. (noun)
Dried spices: Plants that enhance the flavour of food. (noun)
Duvet: A warm bed covering. (noun)
Eggs: The reproductive means of chickens that have a hard shell and are eaten as food. (noun)
Exit: A way out. (noun)
Express check-out*: A check-out for people who are only buying a small amount of shopping. (noun)
Fish: An animal that lives in water, and some of which can be eaten. (noun)
Flour: A soft food made from grain, usually wheat. (noun)
Flowers: The reproductive organs of plants that have a scent and coloured petals. (noun)
Freezers: Large display areas that keep food below 0oC. (noun)
Fruit juice: A drink made from squeezing fruit. (noun)
Frying pan: A kitchen tool used in cooking. (noun)
Gas: A type of fuel for cars (US English, same as petrol). (noun)
Grapefruit: A sour citrus fruit. (noun)
Grapes: The fruit of the vine. (noun)
Greeter: A person who stands at the door of a supermarket and says hello to the customers. (noun)
Greetings cards: A way of celebrating special events, such as birthdays and anniversary. (noun)
Hair spray: A sticky substance to keep hair in place. (noun)
Ham: The cooked meat of pigs. (noun)
Herbs: Dried plants to give flavour to food. (noun)
Kettle: A container for boiling water. (noun)
Kitchen roll/towel: Disposable paper that is used for mopping mess in a kitchen. (noun)
Lamb: The meat that comes from young sheep. (noun)
Lamps: An electric fitting to give light. (noun)
Lettuce: A green plant that has its leaves used in salads. (noun)
Lottery ticket: A form of gambling to try to win money. (noun)
Manager: The person who is in-charge of the supermarket. (noun)
Margarine: A butter-like spread, which is made from oil, used on bread and in cooking. (noun)
Meat: The flesh of animals that has been prepared so it can be eaten. (noun)
Medicines: Products to treat or prevent diseases or illness. (noun)
Mushroom: An edible fungus. (noun)
Mutton: The meat that comes from old sheep. (noun)
Newspaper: Paper printed with information. (noun)
Orange: A citrus fruit that is sweet and orange in colour. (noun)
Petrol: A type of fuel for cars (UK English, same as gas). (noun)
Pilchards: A type of fish. (noun)
Plums: A sweet fruit that are normally a purple colour. (noun)
Pork: The meat from a pig. (noun)
Postage stamps: The means of paying to send a letter to someone. (noun)
Potato: A plant with edible tubers that grow in soil. (noun)
Prawn: A small shrimp-like creature of the sea. (noun)
Queue*: A line of people who are waiting for something. (noun)
Ready-meals: A pre-made meal that just needs to be heated up at home before it can be eaten. (noun)
Receipt*: The list of the items bought at a shop. (noun)
Salt: A food enhancement. (noun)
Security guard: A person in charge of shop safety. (noun)
Self-service: A system designed for serving yourself. (noun)
Shelf stacker: A person who places the products on to the shelves of the supermarket so customers can buy them. (noun)
Soap: A cleaning substance. (noun)
Soup: A liquid made from vegetables that is eaten. (noun)
Spirits: Alcoholic drinks that have a high alcohol content. (noun)
Supermarket: A large retail outlet where you can buy food and goods for the home. (noun)
Sweets: Small sugary treats. (noun)
Tea: A drink made from dried tea leaves. (noun)
Toothpaste: A tooth cleaning paste. (noun)
Trolley: A large basket on wheels for carrying shopping (UK English, same as cart). (noun)
Vegetables: The edible parts of plants that people eat. (noun)
Wine: An alcoholic drink made from grapes. (noun)
Yogurt: A semi-liquid food made from fermented milk. (noun)