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warehouse

/ˈweə.haʊs/
IELTSAcademic
noun

A large building where goods are stored before they are sold or sent out. Warehouses are common in shipping, retail, and manufacturing.

  • The company stores clothes in a warehouse.
  • Our order left the warehouse this morning.
verb

To store goods in a warehouse. It is often used in business and logistics.

  • They warehouse imported furniture there.
  • The books are warehoused near the port.

Adinary Nuance

A warehouse is bigger and more practical than a store or shop. It usually means a place for storage, not a place where customers buy things. In business writing, it sounds more specific than storage room or depot.

In other languages

Vietnamese
kho hàng
Spanish
almacén
Chinese
仓库
Japanese
倉庫
Korean
창고

Etymology

Warehouse comes from Middle English, from Old English words meaning “storehouse” or “storage place.” It has been used for centuries for buildings that keep goods safely.

Common phrases

warehouse spacewarehouse workerwarehouse managerwarehouse district

Synonyms

Related words

Frequently asked questions

Is warehouse a formal word?
It is neutral and common in business, shipping, and logistics.
What is the difference between a warehouse and a store?
A store sells things to customers. A warehouse mainly keeps goods in storage.
Can warehouse be used as a verb?
Yes. It means to keep goods in a warehouse.
Is warehouse used in academic writing?
Yes, especially in topics like trade, supply chains, and distribution.