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

There’s also my go-to dining hall omelette and scrambled eggs, made with butter, crumbled feta cheese, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and Old Bay seasoning.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

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

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

All that’s left of the main part of the building is a six metre long wall of the Chapel and dining hall.

From BBC • Jul. 12, 2025

Tonight there's been some lecture in the dining hall on medieval Jewish history, and it's gotten out late.

From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper

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