# delicatessen

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌdɛlɪkəˈtɛsən/ · frequency rank #54,115

## Definitions
1. A shop that sells cooked or prepared foods ready for serving.

## Etymology
First attested 1864. From German Delikatessen, plural of Delikatesse (“delicacy, fine food”), at the time also spelt Delicatesse(n), from French délicatesse, from délicat (“fine”), from Latin delicatus (“alluring”).
The sense of store is much more recent, originating in ellipsis from the common attributive use, as in delicatessen shop, delicatessen store, etc.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/delicatessen