Standard Lemma guide

wholesale

adj · adv · noun · verb · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈhoʊlseɪl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -oʊlseɪl
  • CMU ARPABET: HH OW1 L S EY2 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or relating to sale in large quantities, for resale.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Extensive, indiscriminate, all-encompassing; blanket.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • The bombing resulted in wholesale destruction.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

In bulk or large quantity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

Indiscriminately.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: business

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bulk supply

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To sell at wholesale.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

ignoring distinctions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • sweeping generalizations
  • wholesale destruction

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sweeping

Antonyms: none provided

8

adverb

Meaning 8

on a large scale without careful discrimination

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I buy food wholesale

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in large quantities

Antonyms: none provided

9

adverb

Meaning 9

at a wholesale price

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I can sell it to you wholesale

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: retail

10

noun

Meaning 10

the selling of goods to merchants; usually in large quantities for resale to consumers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: retail

Broader terms: selling, merchandising, marketing

11

verb

Meaning 11

sell in large quantities

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: retail

Broader terms: sell

History

Etymology

From whole + sale.

Across languages

Translations

97 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: апто́вы (aptóvy) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Belarusian: гуртавы́ (hurtavý) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Belarusian: агу́льны (ahúlʹny) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Bulgarian: на е́дро (na édro) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Catalan: a l'engròs — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Cornish: kowlwerth — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Czech: velkoobchodní — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Danish: engros — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Danish: en gros — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Dutch: grootschalig — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Finnish: tukku- — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • French: en gros — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Georgian: საბითუმო (sabitumo) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • German: Großhandels- — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Greek: χονδρικός (chondrikós) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Hindi: थोक (thok) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Hungarian: nagybani — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Italian: all'ingrosso — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Latin: magnārius — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Norwegian Bokmål: en gros — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Polish: hurtowy — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Portuguese: atacado — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Russian: опто́вый (optóvyj) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Ukrainian: опто́вий (optóvyj) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Ukrainian: гуртови́й (hurtovýj) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Ukrainian: огу́льний (ohúlʹnyj) — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Welsh: cyfanwerthol — of or relating to sale in bulk or large quantity
  • Danish: engros — in bulk or large quantity
  • Danish: en gros — in bulk or large quantity
  • Finnish: tukuttain — in bulk or large quantity
  • French: en gros — in bulk or large quantity
  • Georgian: ბითუმად (bitumad) — in bulk or large quantity
  • Greek: χονδρικά (chondriká) — in bulk or large quantity
  • Hindi: थोक (thok) — in bulk or large quantity
  • Hungarian: nagyban — in bulk or large quantity
  • Latin: acervatim — in bulk or large quantity
  • Norwegian Bokmål: en gros — in bulk or large quantity
  • Polish: hurtowo — in bulk or large quantity
  • Russian: о́птом (óptom) — in bulk or large quantity
  • Spanish: al por mayor — in bulk or large quantity
  • Spanish: por junto — in bulk or large quantity
  • Welsh: ar gyfanwerth — in bulk or large quantity
  • Arabic: إِجْمَالِيّ (ʔijmāliyy) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Arabic: بِالْجُمْلَةِ (bi-l-jumlati) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Arabic: بَيْع بِالْجُمْلَةِ (bayʕ bi-l-jumlati) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Assamese: পাইকাৰী (paikari) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Bulgarian: търгови́я на е́дро (tǎrgovíja na édro) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Catalan: a l'engròs — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Chinese Mandarin: 批發 /批发 (pīfā) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Czech: velkoobchod — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Danish: engroshandel — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Danish: en groshandel — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Danish: engrosvirksomhed — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Danish: en grosvirksomhed — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Dutch: groothandel — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Estonian: hulgimüük — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Finnish: tukkukauppa — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • French: vente en gros — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • German: Großhandel — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Greek: χονδρική (chondrikí) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Hindi: थोक (thok) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Hungarian: nagykereskedelem — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Icelandic: heildsala — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Icelandic: heildverslun — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Indonesian: borong — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Irish: mórdhíol — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Italian: ingrosso — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Italian: all'ingrosso — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Japanese: 卸売 (oroshiuri) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Korean: 도매 (domae) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Māori: hokorau — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Norwegian Bokmål: engroshandel — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Persian: عمدهفروشی ('omde-foruši) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Polish: hurt — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Portuguese: atacado — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Romanian: en gros — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Russian: опто́вая торго́вля (optóvaja torgóvlja) — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Serbo-Croatian: велепро̀даја — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Serbo-Croatian: velepròdaja — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Slovak: veľkoobchod — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Spanish: venta al por mayor — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Spanish: mayoreo — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Swedish: partihandel — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Swedish: grossistverksamhet — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Swedish: grosshandel — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Tagalog: pakyaw — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Tagalog: pamamakyaw — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Thai: การขายส่ง — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Thai: การค้าส่ง — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Turkish: toptancılık — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Vietnamese: bán sỉ — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Welsh: cyfanwerth — sale of products, often in large quantities, to retailers or other merchants
  • Cornish: kowlwertha — sell in bulk
  • Polish: sprzedawać hurtowo — sell in bulk
  • Polish: sprzedać hurtowo — sell in bulk
  • Thai: ขายส่ง — sell in bulk
  • Thai: ค้าส่ง — sell in bulk
Real reading context

wholesale in complete knowledge articles