Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German, with the old German spelling (modern German: Delikatessen), plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus.
The term delicatessen has a secondary meaning in some countries, referring to stores that sell delicatessen, hence a shortened term for delicatessen store, sometimes additionally shorted to the informal term deli.
Delicatessen is a German loanword in English. Reference works state that the word delicatessen comes from the German Delicatessen, the plural form of Delicatesse. (This old spelling later changed to the spelling Delikatessen in modern German.) The word entered German from French délicatesse and means "delicious things (to eat)". It ultimately originated from the Latin adjective delicatus, meaning "giving pleasure, delightful, pleasing".
An alternative, and incorrect, popular etymology supposes that the -essen part of the word Delicatessen comes from the German verb essen (English: to eat), or the noun das Essen (English: the food). This would imply that the word is a portmanteau of the German words delikates (English: delicious; nominative case) and Essen.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delicatessen
See also: Lebaran, Hari Raya, Ramadan Gift
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