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• buffet
  buffet
• Buffet
  Buffet

  noun

  Bernard (bɛrnar). 1928–99, French painter and engraver. His works are characterized by sombre tones and thin angular forms

buffet

¹ American  

[buh-fey, boo-, boo-fey, buhf-it] / bəˈfeɪ, bʊ-, ˈbu feɪ, ˈbʌf ɪt /

noun

1. 1. a variety of dishes presented in a line, from which diners in a restaurant serve themselves, usually at a fixed price regardless of how much one eats.

      The lavish all-you-can-eat buffet delivered a feast of salads, curries, pasta dishes, and sumptuous desserts for $40.

   2. a restaurant where food is presented in this way.

      They own one of the best high-end buffets in the country.

2. a meal laid out on one or more tables so that guests may serve themselves.

3. a sideboard or cabinet for holding china, table linen, etc.

4. a wide variety of things to choose from.

   The school’s internet safety workshop contains a buffet of ideas for parents in the 21st century.

5. a counter, bar, or the like, for lunch or refreshments.

6. a restaurant containing such a counter or bar.

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adjective

1. consisting of food, refreshments, etc., laid out on tables or buffets from which guests or customers serve themselves: buffet service.

   a buffet supper;

   buffet service.

buffet ² American  

[buhf-it] / ˈbʌf ɪt /

noun

1. a blow, as with the hand or fist.

2. a violent shock or concussion.

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verb (used with object)

• buffets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• buffeted,
  past participle,  past
• buffeting
  present participle

1. to strike, as with the hand or fist.

   Synonyms:

   wallop, sock, hit, box, cuff, slap

2. to strike against or push repeatedly.

   The wind buffeted the house.

3. to contend against; battle.

verb (used without object)

• buffets,
  present (3rd person singular)
• buffeted,
  past participle,  past
• buffeting
  present participle

1. to struggle with blows of hand or fist.

2. to force one's way by a fight, struggle, etc.

buffet ¹ British  

noun

1. a counter where light refreshments are served

2. 1. a meal at which guests help themselves from a number of dishes and often eat standing up

   2. ( as modifier )

      a buffet lunch

3. a piece of furniture used from medieval times to the 18th century for displaying plates, etc and typically comprising one or more cupboards and some open shelves

4. dialect a kind of low stool, pouffe, or hassock

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buffet ² British  

/ ˈbʌfɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to knock against or about; batter

   the wind buffeted the boat

2. (tr) to hit, esp with the fist; cuff

3. to force (one's way), as through a crowd

4. (intr) to struggle; battle

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noun

1. a blow, esp with a fist or hand

2. aerodynamic excitation of an aircraft structure by separated flows

Buffet ³ British  

/ byfɛ /

noun

1. Bernard (bɛrnar). 1928–99, French painter and engraver. His works are characterized by sombre tones and thin angular forms

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• buffeter
  noun
• unbuffeted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• buffeting
  present
• buffeted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• buffet
  simple
• buffets
  simple
• have buffeted
  perfect
• has buffeted
  perfect
• am buffeting
  progressive
• are buffeting
  progressive
• is buffeting
  progressive
• have been buffeting
  perfect progressive
• has been buffeting
  perfect progressive

Past

• buffeted
  simple
• had buffeted
  perfect
• was buffeting
  progressive
• were buffeting
  progressive
• had been buffeting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will buffet
  simple
• will have buffeted
  perfect
• will be buffeting
  progressive
• will have been buffeting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of buffet¹

First recorded in 1710–20; from French, Old French; of obscure origin

Origin of buffet²

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, Old French buffe “a blow” + -et -et

Explanation

When you see the word buffet, it's hard not to think "all-you-can-eat." Although the noun can refer to food set out for self-service, buffet also means "a blow, especially with the hand" or, as a verb, "to strike sharply." The two meanings of buffet come from very different sources. The self-serve meal buffet — from 18th-century French and pronounced buh-FAY — is named after a piece of furniture, bufet ("sideboard"), on which such a meal might be served. The meaning of hitting, however, comes from the Old French word bufe, "a blow" or "a puff of wind," and is pronounced BUH-fit. If the wind buffets the windows of your house, it can make them rattle in their frames, and if you are buffeted by bad news, you might shake in your shoes.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

buffet Buffet buffets buffeted buffeting

Once farmers and ranchers arrived in California, their stock of calves and pigs and crops were a bear buffet, and that got bears killed much more often than any unprovoked attacks on humans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

My final meal before heading to the airport wasn’t a breakfast buffet but the best and cheapest prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich of the trip.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

At the buffet for the central command post in Lege-Cap-Ferret, it takes two full-size catering trays to contain the range of artisanal cheeses crumbling or oozing onto the warm metal for the firefighters' pleasure.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

A family once tried to sneak a pet parrot into the buffet, tucking it into a wagon next to their small child.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

A youth pastor named Jonboy used to roam around the buffet with a group of high school kids, smiling for the old ladies and asking if any of them needed work done on their lawns.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

On its website, African Parks lists a number of high-profile donors including the European Union, Rob Walton, heir to the Walmart fortune, and Howard Buffett, son of Warren Buffet.

From BBC ● May 8, 2025

He once bid $4.57 million for a dinner with Warren Buffet to try to convert him into a crypto advocate.

From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2024

And finally, this week, Warren Buffet published a letter explaining why and how he is giving away his billions after his death.

From Slate ● Nov. 30, 2024

Jimmy Buffet, Wayne Kramer, Dionne Warwick and Norman Whitfield will also be honored for musical excellence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2024

Approximately four hundred miles east of where Arthur Clutter then stood, two young men were sharing a booth in the Eagle Buffet, a Kansas City diner.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

In the loop outside the theater are food trucks, buffets, and more than half a dozen Vancouver-area coffee, tea, and matcha pop-ups serving unlimited boutique offerings.

From Slate ● May 8, 2026

At Sidecar, there are no buffets, showers or phone booths for private calls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

But he has now set up a new account sharing the same kinds of videos, showing "roadmen" at grubby "infinity pools" and "taxpayer-funded buffets".

From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2026

Caesars Entertainment Corporation, a casino and hotel company that operated four Deen-themed buffets at various locations, ends its relationship with Deen less than two hours after her “Today” interview.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2025

Then again, I think of the after-church lunches I used to go to with their big buffets, all-you-can-eat style.

From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle

The group's performance reflects the roller coaster ride by cocoa prices over the past five years when it has been buffeted by wars, poor harvests and economic worries in key markets.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

But shareholders have pushed back against hefty pay packages, which come during a period of upheaval in Hollywood that has been buffeted by job losses from media consolidation and outsourcing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

I am determined to rebuild our country after years of being buffeted by crises.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

Analysts expect the measures to deliver near-term relief to the beleaguered rupiah, which has been buffeted by the market turmoil spurred by the Middle East conflict, and persistent concerns about Indonesia’s fiscal position and investability.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026

As he knocked he got the weirdest notion: that he was being buffeted by black wings, as if an enormous crow was flying through him, out into the hall and the world beyond.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

Especially in retail, the crosscurrents buffeting companies since the pandemic demand different approaches, said Adolfo Villagomez, who took the helm of 1-800-Flowers.com from its founder in May.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026

The big bank found that spending was up strongly on entertainment and arts for the month, which its economists said underscored consumers’ appetite for experiences even with the economic headwinds buffeting Canada.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

The luxury sector is currently going through a challenging period for sales globally that is impacting many companies, but Hermes has been well-protected from the buffeting.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2025

Globalization was buffeting the region with other big changes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2025

As he shinnied back in the saddle, Count Atlas leaned hard into Seabiscuit, buffeting his right side as the field bounded away from them.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Related Words

• batter
• clobber
• jolt
• pummel