The word bodega is borrowed from the Spanish and is a phenomenon that has become a mainstay in New York City. We will examine the definition of the word bodega, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.
The word bodega originally meant a wine shop or wine cellar, but today means a corner grocery store or corner convenience store. This use of the word bodega first appeared in New York in the 1970s and primarily referred to such corner stores in Spanish-speaking areas. However, the term bodega has spread, and any such shops may be considered a bodega, not just stores owned by Spanish-speakers. Bodegas carry all types of items for sale, from baby diapers to beer, bleach to batteries, and phone cards to tuna fish sandwiches. Bodegas are mainly found in urban environments. The word bodega is a borrowed word or a loan word, which is a word that has been taken from another language and is now used as an English word. The plural form of bodega is bodegas.
Examples
A man was shot in the leg in a North End bodega Friday, police said. (The Hartford Courant)
In the mid- to late-’90s, I remember pretty distinctly doing about 90 percent of my shopping at the bodega underneath the Irving Park Red Line “L” stop. (The Chicago Tribune)
Bodegas are cabinet stores, stocked with everyday essentials that range from Clorox wipes to kettle chips and computer chargers. (The Daily Californian)
An enraged gunman fired a shot inside a Brooklyn bodega – but ducked out the door after a bottle was hurled toward him, according to surveillance video released Tuesday. (The New York Daily News