cafeteria

[kaf-i-teer-ee-uh]

noun

1. a restaurant in which patrons wait on themselves, carrying their food to tables from counters where it is displayed and served.

2. a lunchroom or dining hall, as in a factory, office, or school, where food is served from counters or dispensed from vending machines or where food brought from home may be eaten.

cafeteria

/ ˌkæfɪˈtɪərɪə /

noun

1. a self-service restaurant

Word History and Origins

Origin of cafeteria¹

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; from Latin American Spanish cafetería “café,” Spanish cafeter(a) “coffeemaker,” from French caf(f)etière (equivalent to café + etière feminine of -ier ); t apparently by analogy with words such as bouquetière “flower seller,” from bases ending in t ) + -ía; coffee, -ier ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of cafeteria¹

C20: from American Spanish: coffee shop

Example Sentences

To study the effects of green tea on obesity, the research team fed mice a high-calorie diet for four weeks, with both fat and what they call a "cafeteria diet," which mimics the Western diet.

Read more on Science Daily

It is not unusual for him to be seen having a coffee with supporters in the club cafeteria - something that would never be seen at just about any other club.

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Another seeks to overhaul cafeteria meals by eliminating highly processed foods.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She stood at a table Wednesday displaying two 25-year-old preserved human brains she placed on cafeteria trays.

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“Couple uses wedding gifts to clear cafeteria balances.”

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• lunchroom 
• snack bar