Short for delicatessen; a store selling prepared foods, meats, cheeses, and specialty items.
Informal abbreviation of 'delicatessen,' from German 'Delikatessen' (delicacies). Became common in American English in the 1940s-1950s as fast and convenient food culture expanded.
The delly/deli pronunciation split reveals an accent boundary: Americans say 'DEE-lee,' while some regional speakers preserve a two-syllable 'DEL-ee,' a vanishing distinction.
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