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Definition of wholesale adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

wholesale

adjective
 
/ˈhəʊlseɪl/
 
/ˈhəʊlseɪl/
[only before noun]
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  1. connected with goods that are bought and sold in large quantities, especially so they can be sold again to make a profit
    • wholesale prices
    compare retailTopics Shoppingc2
  2. (especially of something bad) happening or done to a very large number of people or things
    • the wholesale slaughter of innocent people
    Extra Examples
    • Localized tensions had developed into wholesale slaughter.
    • The government warned that wholesale changes could lead to major destabilization.
    • They did their best to prevent the wholesale destruction of the cities.
  3. Word Originlate Middle English: originally as by whole sale ‘in large quantities’.
See wholesale in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee wholesale in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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