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

Loren Cameron was in his early 30s when he bought his first suit, walking nervously into a haberdashery for short men.

From New York Times • Apr. 20, 2023

I love the way you evoke the values of an entire class with three vanishing terms: “noblesse oblige, haberdashery, and supper.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 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