dinner lady

British

noun

a female cook or canteen worker in a school

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Janet Murray, a dinner lady before making the switch to the classroom more than 20 years ago, says she loves her job and works in a very supportive school near her home in Swansea, but while "the job evolved and the job changed, the pay and terms and conditions never have".

From BBC

She was only meant to provide cover for one week as a school dinner lady - but Pat Limb stayed and is still working there 40 years on.

From BBC

At lunchtime, dinner lady Mrs Smalley keeps an eye on the children who don't have enough food at home.

From BBC

Holding retired in 2020, at the age of 72, having previously spent 20 years as a dinner lady and housekeeper in a local school.

From BBC

She underwent a period of rehab and started regular free counselling sessions while working first as a cleaner and later as a dinner lady.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023