Bazaar
noun /bəˈzɑːr/ — A market, especially in Middle Eastern or South Asian cities.
Definition
A market or area of shops and stalls in Middle Eastern or South Asian cities; a permanent marketplace. The bazaar is one of civilization's oldest institutions — a place where commerce, culture, and conversation merge.
Beyond the definition
The bazaar is the city's immune system — where exchange happens, where strangers become neighbors, where things find their price and their people. Markets this old have their own logic, their own temperature.
Origin & history
From Persian 'bāzār' (market). Entered English through Turkish and Portuguese in the 16th century as European merchants encountered Persian and Ottoman commercial culture.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul has operated continuously since 1461 — sixty covered streets, four thousand shops, one logic.
She navigated the bazaar by instinct: the smell of spices, the sound of bargaining, the sense of things being real.
Every city has its bazaar equivalent — the flea market, the farmers' market. The impulse to exchange is ancient.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Bazaar” when the meaning fits your context: A market or area of shops and stalls in Middle Eastern or South Asian cities; a permanent marketplace. The bazaar is one of civilization's oldest institutions — a place where commerce, culture, and conversation merge.
Synonyms
market, marketplace, souk, agora
Related words
Bazaar vs plaza
A bazaar is a permanent commercial space with rows of stalls. A plaza is an open public square used for community gatherings and social events.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Two Adults Negotiating At Stall
Two adults negotiate at a small produce stall, with scales, a basket of apples, and coins making the exchange of value visible.
A bazaar is a permanent marketplace and institution of exchange. This scene captures the merger of commerce, culture, and conversation, illustrating the bazaar's role as a central, lasting space for community interaction.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Bazaar" mean?
Bazaar is noun meaning: A market, especially in Middle Eastern or South Asian cities.. A market or area of shops and stalls in Middle Eastern or South Asian cities; a permanent marketplace. The bazaar is one of civilization's oldest institutions — a place where commerce, culture, and conversation merge.
Where does the word "Bazaar" come from?
From Persian 'bāzār' (market). Entered English through Turkish and Portuguese in the 16th century as European merchants encountered Persian and Ottoman commercial culture.