cafeteria

1 of 2

noun

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

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

Noun

Before the girls perform for Eloise, Paulina creeps into the cafeteria alone, carefully made up and dressed in baby blue chiffon (costume designer Qween Jean continues to shoot nothing but net). — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026

Toward the end of first grade, Najya started complaining about lunchtime chaos in the cafeteria. — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026

Other people allegedly taken into custody were never seen alive again, including palace cafeteria employees and Irma Franco, an M-19 guerrilla captured during the operation. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026

Students who normally walk through the affected area were allowed to wait inside the cafeteria until conditions improved. — Doug Myers, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026

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

Phrases Containing cafeteria

• cafeteria-style

Rhymes for cafeteria

• arteria
• bacteria
• criteria
• diphtheria
• egeria
• listeria
• wisteria
• cyanobacteria
• mycobacteria

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