hypermarket
UK[ˈhaɪ.pəˌmɑː.kɪt]US[ˈhaɪ.pɚˌmɑːr.kɪt]
n
a very large self-service store that sells a wide variety of goods, including groceries, clothing, and household items, typically located outside a town.
Morpheme Breakdown
hyper
market
hyper
over, beyond
market
a place for buying and selling goods
Etymology
the word 'hypermarket' is a modern english compound, coined in the mid-20th century to describe a new, expansive retail format. the prefix 'hyper-' is borrowed directly from greek, where it signified a position or state "over" or "beyond" the normal. it was adopted into english scientific and technical vocabulary to denote excess, as seen in words like 'hyperactive'. the base word 'market' has a long journey from the latin 'mercatus', related to 'merx' (merchandise) and the verb 'mercari' (to trade). the combination 'hypermarket' thus logically constructs the concept of a market that goes beyond the conventional scale and scope of a typical supermarket, both in size and the range of goods offered.
Analysis
Structure: hyper (over, beyond) + market (a place for buying and selling goods)
- hyper: from greek 'hyper', meaning "over, beyond, above". functions as a prefix indicating excess or extreme degree.
- market: from latin 'mercatus' (trade, market), via old north french 'market'. functions as the base noun denoting a place of commerce.
Examples
they did their weekly shopping at the out-of-town hypermarket.
the new hypermarket employs over five hundred people and stocks everything from furniture to fresh produce.
critics argue that hypermarkets can negatively impact smaller, local shops.