haberdashery

American  

[hab-er-dash-uh-ree] / ˈhæb ərˌdæʃ ə ri /

noun

plural

haberdasheries

1. a haberdasher's shop.

2. the goods sold there.

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haberdashery British  

/ ˈhæbəˌdæʃərɪ /

noun

1. the goods or business kept by a haberdasher

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Etymology

Origin of haberdashery

1425–75; late Middle English haberdashrye < Anglo-French. See haberdasher, -y ³

Explanation

A haberdashery is a men's clothing shop, or a men's department in a larger store. You might visit a haberdashery to buy your dad a tie for Father's Day. Haberdashery is an old-fashioned word for the store you visit when you want to buy a suit or a shirt and tie. In the UK, the meaning is different — a British haberdashery sells sewing notions like buttons, zippers, and thread. The word comes from haberdasher, "seller of small things." These small things sometimes traditionally included men's hats, which led to the American definition of "men's shop."

Example Sentences

One worked in haberdashery, one acted, and one’s path was uncertain—but none wrote.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026

The renovated Oviatt proved attractive to tenants including a fancy eatery in the former haberdashery on the ground floor that is now the Cicada Restaurant and Lounge.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2023

Its shelves of fabrics and haberdashery matched her love of a layered space, which she would eventually showcase in the pages of her interior and decorative arts publication, Cabana, when it launched in 2014.

From New York Times • Oct. 27, 2022

The 200-year-old haberdashery Brooks Brothers had a bigger challenge - it never followed the casual office attire trend several years ago like its rivals.

From Washington Times • May 2, 2022

Two others were in the haberdashery business, one had a graphic design studio, another made feather hats, and another worked in the finance department at Tishman Realty.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell