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

Kendall teaches children and teenagers to break down anxiety-provoking situations, such as finding friends to sit with in the cafeteria or asking someone for a date, into smaller steps and planning what to do if something goes wrong. — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

That’s a student sitting in a cafeteria or a locker room, noticing a name on a banner or a jersey and deciding on their own that the brand behind it is worth trusting. — Karl Mawhinney, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

The reception was held in a cafeteria with a small stage at the front. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

The company opened its first warehouse in 1928, incorporated as Wegmans Food Markets in 1931, and made headlines in 1930 with a flagship store that combined groceries, specialty departments, and a 300-seat cafeteria. — Chase Jordan october 9, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 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