dining hall

American  

noun

1. a large room in which meals are served to members of a special group and their guests, as to the students and faculty of a college.

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Etymology

Origin of dining hall

First recorded in 1660–70

Explanation

A dining-hall is a large space where many people eat at the same time. If you go to college and live in a dormitory, you'll probably eat most of your meals in a dining-hall. You can use the word dining-hall when you're talking about a cafeteria or another group space for eating. You'll find dining-halls at universities, camps. and boarding schools. The word hall. a long room, comes from the Old English root heall, "spacious roofed residence," and dining is rooted in the Old French disner, "to have a meal."

Example Sentences

She bought lollipops and a teddy bear, and by 10 a.m. she had set up shop outside a campus dining hall where she consoled students Sunday morning with offers of “free mom hugs.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 14, 2025

A decorative plate stolen from a dining hall by a University of Cambridge student more than 100 years ago has finally been returned.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2025

With my phone constantly itching in my pocket, begging to be used, it accompanies me throughout the day: during morning showers for music, afternoon walks to the dining hall, and nighttime wind-downs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 7, 2025

Yet when I sit across from the 21-year-old singer at a dining hall on Olvera Street, she exudes a commanding diva spirit that is all her own.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 12, 2025

I imagine myself in this place, getting dressed for class, walking with my new friends to the dining hall, joining the poetry club.

From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi

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