Origin: Germanic Old English suffix
Dealership has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
a business established or operated under an authorization to sell or distribute a company's goods or services in a particular area
"The local dealership was authorized by the manufacturer to sell only new vehicles within the county."
A place that sells items, especially cars.
"The family drove to the local dealership to purchase their new car."
In plain English: A dealership is a business that sells new cars and often lets you trade in your old ones to buy something else.
"She drove to the car dealership to test drive her new vehicle."
Usage: Use this term specifically for authorized retail outlets of manufactured goods like automobiles rather than general shops or independent sellers. Avoid using "dealership" when referring to the act of selling itself; use "dealer" if you need a verb form.
The word dealership is formed by adding the suffix -ship to dealer. It entered English as a straightforward compound meaning an establishment where dealers conduct business.