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PlainSpell

retail

re·tail/ˈɹiˌteɪl/noun, adjective, adverb, verb

retail is spelled R-E-T-A-I-L: 6 letters and 2 syllables (re·tail). It appears 35 times per million words in written English, the 2,725th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, retail means “The sale of goods directly to the consumer, encompassing the storefronts, mail-order, websites, etc., and the corporate mechanisms, branding…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in retail?

Letters6: R-E-T-A-I-L
Syllables2: re·tail
In writing35 times per million words; the 2,725th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Rhymes with
Same letters

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is retail?

Retail appears 35 times per million words in written English, the 2,725th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce retail?

  • US /ˈɹiˌteɪl/
  • US [ˈɹ̠ʷiˌtʰeɪ̯ɫ]

Retail has 2 syllables, split re·tail in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-retail.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Simplificationalizer-retail.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

What rhymes with retail?

One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as retail from its last stressed vowel (/iteɪl/):

Spelled with the same letters in another order: tailer.

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of retail

  • retails present, singular, he/she/it
  • retailing participle, present
  • retailed participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does retail mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    The sale of goods directly to the consumer, encompassing the storefronts, mail-order, websites, etc., and the corporate mechanisms, branding, advertising, etc. that support them.

    She works in retail.

  2. 2

    The sale of securities or other financial instruments to private investors, as opposed to large institutions.

  3. 3

    colloquialRetail price; full price; an abbreviated expression, meaning the full suggested price of a particular good or service, before any sale, discount, or other deal.

    I never pay retail for clothes.

adjective

  1. 1

    Of or relating to the (actual or figurative) sale of goods or services directly to individuals.

adverb

  1. 1

    Direct to consumers, in retail quantities, or at retail prices.

    We've shut shown our reseller unit. We're only selling retail now.

verb

  1. 1

    To sell at retail, or in small quantities directly to customers.

  2. 2

    archaicTo sell secondhand, or in broken parts.

  3. 3

    To repeat or circulate (news or rumours) to others.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Retail in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchvente au détail (sale of goods directly to the consumer), vendre au détail (to sell at retail, or in small quantities…)
GermanEinzelhandel, Einzelhandelsabsatz, Kleinverkauf (sale of goods directly to the consumer), Originalpreis, regulärer Preis, Ladenpreis (retail price)
Portuguesevarejo, retalho (sale of goods directly to the consumer), vender a varejo (to sell at retail, or in small quantities…)
Spanishventa al por menor, venta al detalle, retail, minorismo (sale of goods directly to the consumer), al detalle, al por menor (relating to the sale of goods or services…)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does retail come from?

From the Old French verb retaillier.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after retail