caf·e·te·ria
ˌka-fə-ˈtir-ē-ə 
1
: a restaurant in which the customers serve themselves or are served at a counter and take the food to tables to eat
: 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
James Powel, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Fleming also said in his email that the cafeteria was crowded at the time and many students who saw the incident were shaken up.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
The hideout boasted more than 1,000 bunk beds, a 400-seat cafeteria, individual auditoriums for both the Senate and the House of Representatives, vast water tanks, and a trash incinerator that could serve as a crematorium.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
Students eat lunch on the floor because the cafeteria accommodates only about 200 students, fewer than even the number of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch.
—Becca Savransky, ProPublica, 9 Apr. 2024
About 50 activists calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Gaza war were arrested Tuesday after protesting in the Senate cafeteria around lunchtime.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
An Automat-style cafeteria and George and Martha-themed party and craft room will open soon.
—Elisabeth Egan Chase Castor, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
How school cafeterias can shape student mental health, and what Wisconsin is doing about it How Wisconsin parents are protecting kids' mental health from social media — without banning their phones Police are slated to return to Milwaukee Public Schools in January.
—Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024
From that meeting in the Cleveland Clinic cafeteria, the smart mouthguard was conceived.
—Jeffrey Tomik, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Rafael Guerrero, chicagotribune.com, 15 June 2021
Noun
The two planted two bombs in the cafeteria of the school that did not detonate.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Fleming also said in his email that the cafeteria was crowded at the time and many students who saw the incident were shaken up.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
The hideout boasted more than 1,000 bunk beds, a 400-seat cafeteria, individual auditoriums for both the Senate and the House of Representatives, vast water tanks, and a trash incinerator that could serve as a crematorium.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
Students eat lunch on the floor because the cafeteria accommodates only about 200 students, fewer than even the number of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch.
—Becca Savransky, ProPublica, 9 Apr. 2024
About 50 activists calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Gaza war were arrested Tuesday after protesting in the Senate cafeteria around lunchtime.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
An Automat-style cafeteria and George and Martha-themed party and craft room will open soon.
—Elisabeth Egan Chase Castor, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
How school cafeterias can shape student mental health, and what Wisconsin is doing about it How Wisconsin parents are protecting kids' mental health from social media — without banning their phones Police are slated to return to Milwaukee Public Schools in January.
—Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024
From that meeting in the Cleveland Clinic cafeteria, the smart mouthguard was conceived.
—Jeffrey Tomik, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Officials floated several ideas Monday on how to deal with lunchroom sizes, including allowing students to eat in non-cafeteria sites, younger students eating picnic style or high school juniors and seniors being allowed to leave the school campus for lunch.
—Rafael Guerrero, chicagotribune.com, 15 June 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cafeteria.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cafeteria
Cite this Entry
“Cafeteria.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cafeteria. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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