deli

noun

ˈde-lē 

plural delis

: a store where ready-to-eat food products (such as cooked meats and prepared salads) are sold : delicatessen

You shuffle off to the deli and pick up a pastrami-on-rye and an egg cream. The bald man behind the counter whistles cheerfully as he slices the meat.

—Jay McInerney

Sixth Avenue in midtown was once lined with convenient, low-priced delis, cafeterias, coffee shops, and the like.

—Brendan Gill

also : the food sold at a delicatessen

If you're hungry for deli in Miami, only the Rascal House will do.

—Norman Kolpas

… a neat, orderly, well-lighted place so clean you could eat deli off the floor …

—Jack Fincher

—often used before another noun

deli meats/platters

waiting in line at the deli counter

Examples of deli in a Sentence

We bought sandwiches and drinks at the deli.

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, the actors' iconic (and slightly NSFW) scene — in which Sally (played by Ryan) loudly fakes an orgasm in a deli booth to prove a point to Harry (played by Crystal) — begins as Diana is wedged in between them, Crystal recalled. —Bailey Richards, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024

This recall comes months after Boar's Head recalled its deli meats for the same concerns. —Anna Halkidis, Parents, 21 Oct. 2024

What are the chances of getting listeria from deli meat? —Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2024

This recall follows a deadly listeria outbreak connected to recalled Boar’s Head deli meat that is the nation’s largest in more than a decade. —Katherine Dillinger, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

deli

noun

ˈdel-ē 

plural delis

: delicatessen sense 2