dealership

dealership — noun

1. a business that operates under a formal agreement to sell the products of one sp

1.nounB1
Definition

a business that operates under a formal agreement to sell the products of one specific manufacturer from a particular location, most commonly associated with automobiles

Example

The dealership on Main Street offers free oil changes for every new car sold.

noun phrase as subject + verb phrase

Priya bought her first truck from a local dealership that sells only Ford vehicles.

bought from + dealership + that-clause

Common collocations
  • new-car dealership
  • used-car dealership
  • local dealership
  • visit a dealership
  • buy from a dealership
  • dealership owner
Synonyms
  • dealer

    broader term; can refer to either the business location or the person who runs it

  • franchise

    focuses on the license agreement rather than the physical business

  • showroom

    only refers to the display area within a dealership, not the full business

Usage Note

Most commonly refers to car businesses, but can also apply to motorcycles, boats, farm equipment, and other vehicles. In everyday speech, 'dealership' alone usually implies a car dealership.

Common Mistakes

I took my car to the dealer shop for repairs.
I took my car to the dealership for repairs.
'dealer shop' is not a standard English phrase; use 'dealership' or 'car dealer' instead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A dealership is a physical business that sells products from one manufacturer under a formal agreement. A dealer can be either the entire business or the person who runs it — 'I bought it from a Ford dealer' might mean the person or the place. A franchise is the legal right to sell those products, not the building itself. A showroom is only the part of a dealership where products are displayed; you cannot complete a purchase at a showroom without sales staff. An agency acts on behalf of a client rather than buying and selling goods directly. For example: 'The Toyota dealership on Route 9 gave us a test drive' (a place), while 'The Toyota dealer we spoke to was very helpful' (a person working at that place).

dealer ↗franchise ↗showroom ↗agency ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • car dealership
  • auto dealership
  • dealership owner
  • dealership manager
  • dealership staff

Phrases

  • buy from a dealership
  • work at a dealership
  • run a dealership

Prepositions

  • at a dealership
  • from a dealership

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining 'dealer' (someone who trades or sells goods) with the suffix '-ship', which indicates a position, office, or business. 'Dealer' comes from the verb 'deal', meaning 'to distribute or trade', which traces back to Old English 'dælan' (to divide or share). The '-ship' suffix comes from Old English '-scipe', denoting a state or condition. The word 'dealership' first appeared in the early 1900s as car sales became a major industry.