cafeteria

1 of 2

noun

caf·​e·​te·​ria ˌka-fə-ˈtir-ē-ə How to pronounce cafeteria (audio)
Synonyms of cafeterianext
1
: a restaurant in which the customers serve themselves or are served at a counter and take the food to tables to eat
2
: lunchroom sense 2

cafeteria

2 of 2

adjective

: providing a selection from which a choice may be made
cafeteria benefit plan
a cafeteria curriculum

Examples of cafeteria in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Tanvir gestures toward the Bari Imam shrine and the cafeteria where volunteers serve free food. — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026 For instance, your colleagues may be very agreeable and kind to their boss but rude to their more junior colleagues, or the cafeteria waiter. — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 No high-profile violent incidents have occurred at Killian in several years, not since a freshman girl was beaten up in the cafeteria in 2018 – but a bad rap can be a tough thing to shake. — Austin Horn august 29, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 Cross Timbers Elementary School in Azle was evacuated Tuesday morning due to smoke in the cafeteria, officials said. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cafeteria

Word History

Etymology

Noun

American Spanish cafetería coffeehouse, from cafetera coffee maker, from French cafetière, from café

First Known Use

Noun

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cafeteria was in 1894

Phrases Containing cafeteria

Rhymes for cafeteria

See All Rhymes for cafeteria

Browse Nearby Words

cafetal
cafeteria
cafeteria car
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Cite this Entry

“Cafeteria.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cafeteria. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cafeteria

noun
caf·​e·​te·​ria
ˌkaf-ə-ˈtir-ē-ə
1
: a restaurant in which the customers serve themselves or are served at a counter but carry their own food to their tables
2
: lunchroom

More from Merriam-Webster on cafeteria

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cafeteria

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cafeteria

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