/ ˈhəʊlseɪl; NAmE ˈhoʊl-/ adjective [ only before noun ]
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 retail
2.
( especially of sth bad ) happening or done to a very large number of people or things :
the wholesale slaughter of innocent people
► whole·sale adverb :
We buy the building materials wholesale.
These young people die wholesale from heroin overdoses.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : originally as by whole sale in large quantities .