superstore

IPA/ˈsuːpəstɔː(r)/
KK[sˈupɚstˌɔr]IPA/ˈsuːpərstɔːr/

superstore — noun

  • superstoresingular
  • superstoresplural

1. a very large shop where you can buy food, household goods, and other everyday it

1.nounB1
Definition

a very large shop where you can buy food, household goods, and other everyday items.

Example

The new superstore on Western Avenue sells everything from milk to furniture.

range of products: from milk to furniture

Lakshmi works at the superstore on weekends while studying at university.

preposition: at the superstore

Common collocations
  • shop at a superstore
  • go to the superstore
  • visit the superstore
  • open a superstore
  • local superstore
  • new superstore
  • superstore chain
  • superstore manager
Synonyms
  • hypermarket

    more common in British and European English; emphasises the combination of supermarket and department store under one roof

  • big-box store

    used mainly in American English; focuses on the physical building's size and plain architecture rather than the product range

  • megastore

    often used for stores that specialise in one category, such as electronics or furniture

Antonyms
  • corner shop

    a very small local shop with a limited product range

  • convenience store

    smaller and open for longer hours, but with higher prices and fewer choices

  • boutique

    a small shop selling fashionable clothes or specialist goods

Grammar Patterns

superstore + preposition (at / to / from)

Usage Note

Countable noun — requires a determiner (a, the, this) or plural form. Many retail chains use 'superstore' in their official store names to indicate a large-format branch.

Common Mistakes

I bought my TV from superstore.
I bought my TV from a superstore.
'superstore' is a countable noun and needs a determiner.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms describe large retail spaces, but they differ in scope and region. 'Supermarket' is the smallest of the group — it focuses on food and basic household items. 'Superstore' and 'hypermarket' are mostly interchangeable in British English, with 'hypermarket' carrying a stronger European retail tradition. 'Big-box store' is the American term for the same concept, though it often implies a free-standing building in a suburban car park rather than part of a shopping centre. 'Megastore' typically refers to a very large specialist retailer — think of a furniture megastore or an electronics megastore — rather than a general one. For a single weekly shopping trip covering food, cleaning products, and a new kettle, a British shopper would say 'I'm going to the superstore', while an American shopper would say 'I'm going to the big-box store.'

hypermarket ↗big-box store ↗megastore ↗supermarket ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • shop at a superstore
  • go to the superstore

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in the mid-20th century by combining 'super-' (from Latin 'super', meaning above or beyond) with 'store' (from Old French 'estore'). The prefix 'super-' signals extra-large size, following the pattern of 'supermarket' which appeared a few decades earlier. The word rose to common use alongside the growth of out-of-town retail in the 1980s and 1990s.