retail
UK[ˈriːteɪl]US[ˈriːteɪl]
n
The sale of goods to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale.
v
To sell goods to the public in small quantities.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
tail
re
again
tail
cut
Etymology
The word "retail" entered English from the Anglo-French verb 'retailler,' meaning "to cut off, clip, pare." This concept originates from the Latin 'taliare' (to cut). The core logic is that a retailer "cuts off" a small piece from a larger bulk of goods to sell it again to the final consumer. The prefix 're-' emphasizes the repetitive, piece-by-piece nature of the transaction. Thus, the literal idea of "cutting again" evolved into the modern commercial meaning of selling goods in small quantities directly to the public.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + tail (cut)
're-' is a Latin prefix meaning "again" or "back." '-tail' is from the Old French 'taillier,' meaning "to cut," which itself derives from the Latin 'taliare,' also meaning "to cut."
Examples
She works in the fashion retail industry.
The company retails its products through both online and physical stores.
The retail price of the book is significantly higher than the wholesale cost.