Shopping mall: meaning, definitions and examples

A large indoor complex with multiple stores, restaurants, and often entertainment options like movie theaters. Commonly used in American English.

• We spent the whole afternoon at the shopping mall searching for a new outfit.
• The shopping mall is packed with people during the holiday season.

A more casual and shortened version of 'shopping mall', typically used in everyday conversation.

• Let's go to the mall this weekend.
• The new mall downtown has an amazing food court.

A group of retail stores and service providers located in one area, can be smaller and not necessarily indoors. Often used in both American and British English.

• There's a new grocery store in the shopping center on Main Street.
• The shopping center includes a pharmacy, a bank, and a few clothing stores.

Commonly used in British English to describe an area specifically designed for shopping with numerous stores, often pedestrianized.

• The city council is planning to renovate the old shopping precinct.
• We spent the afternoon wandering through the shopping precinct.