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
Jay McInerneySixth Avenue in midtown was once lined with convenient, low-priced delis, cafeterias, coffee shops, and the like.—Brendan Gill
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
Norman Kolpas … a neat, orderly, well-lighted place so clean you could eat deli off the floor … —Jack Fincher
—often used before another noun Jack Fincher 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
Having opened in January, the upscale deli has impressed patrons with its savory subs, coffee bar and homey feel, a turn-on for a fast-food joint these days.
—Allana Haynes, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2024
The Genealogy of the Jewish Deli The Jewish deli is a New York City tradition that has spread far beyond the city's limits.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
The franchise previously improved their menu in recent years, and phased out their pre-sliced deli meat.
—Marina Watts, Peoplemag, 18 June 2024
The highlights of the episode are Bob’s interactions with the deli worker, a flirty man who is convinced that Bob keeps returning to buy turkeys out of romantic interest.
—Lillian Brown, Vulture, 17 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for deli 
Allana Haynes, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2024
The Genealogy of the Jewish Deli The Jewish deli is a New York City tradition that has spread far beyond the city's limits.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
The franchise previously improved their menu in recent years, and phased out their pre-sliced deli meat.
—Marina Watts, Peoplemag, 18 June 2024
The highlights of the episode are Bob’s interactions with the deli worker, a flirty man who is convinced that Bob keeps returning to buy turkeys out of romantic interest.
—Lillian Brown, Vulture, 17 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for deli
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deli.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near deli
Cite this Entry
“Deli.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deli. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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