emporium n : a large retail store organized into departments offering a variety of merchandise; commonly part of a retail chain [syn: department store] [also: emporia (pl)]

English

Pronunciation

• SAMPA: /%Em"pQ.ri.@m/, IPA: /ˌɛm'pɔɹiəm/

Etymology

• From the Latin emporium, meaning 'trading station, market town, market'; from the Greek εμποριον, emporion, meaning 'trading station'; from εμπορος, emporos, meaning 'merchant, traveller', literally 'incomer', from εν, en, 'in', and πορος, poros, 'journey'.

Noun

Emporium (English plural: emporiums, classical plural: emporia)

1. A shop that offers a wide variety of goods, often used facetiously.
2. A department store.
3. A market place or trading centre, particularly of an ancient city.

Translations

• Finnish: tavaratalo (1,2), markkinapaikka (3)

Emporium (medieval Latin from Greek emporos = 'merchant') is a term used for a store selling a wide variety of goods, and for marketplaces or trading centres in ancient cities. The term is also used for:

• The Emporium, a former department store chain located in San Francisco, California
• Troutman's Emporium, a former department store chain located in Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada and Idaho
• The Emporium, a department store in Bangkok, Thailand

Emporium is also a place name:

• Emporium, Pennsylvania, in the United States
• The Emporium, a nightclub in Coalville. Where the legendary club nights Passion and Storm are held.
• The Emporium, a house located at the University of Illinois on First St., and home to the Illinois Sales Organization (ISO).

auto show, bazaar, boat show, boutique, chain store, co-op, commercial complex, concession, cooperative, countinghouse, country store, department store, dime store, discount house, discount store, establishment, exposition, fair, five-and-ten, flea fair, flea market, general store, house, magasin, mail-order house, market, market overt, marketplace, mart, open market, plaza, post, retail store, rialto, salon, shop, shopping center, shopping mall, shopping plaza, show, staple, store, street market, supermarket, trade fair, trading post, variety shop, variety store, warehouse, wareroom, wholesale house