canteen

noun

can·​teen kan-ˈtēn 

1

a

: a portable chest with compartments for carrying bottles or for cooking and eating utensils

b

: a flask for carrying liquids (as on a hike)

c

: mess kit

d

British : a chest for storing flatware

2

a

: a bar at a military post or camp

b

: a general store at a military post : exchange

c

: an establishment that serves as an informal social club (as for soldiers or a community's teenagers)

d

: a small cafeteria or snack bar

Examples of canteen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And a pig like me would have picked Bing’s face up off the dirt, rinsed it in cold water from his canteen, and felt the skin flex in the palm of his hand. — Will MacKin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026

In another video posted on social media Wednesday, a resident talks about finding empty shelves in a local supermarket after cafes and canteens had stopped operating. — Zahra Ullah, CNN Money, 26 June 2026

Conceived as a space station atrium, the canteen-like room features the original cabinetry and island, though its formerly bright yellow accents are now a cool silver, and the holographic flooring has been switched out for biodegradable linoleum. — Alyssa Bird, Architectural Digest, 25 June 2026

Around two per cent of the Kia plant’s 2,400 employees are of South Korean descent and its canteen offers Mexican and Korean cuisine — but the best place to eat is a short drive away. — Tomás Hill López-Menchero, New York Times, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

French cantine bottle case, sutler's shop, from Italian cantina wine cellar, probably from canto corner, from Latin canthus iron tire — more at cant entry 4

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for canteen

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between
• bromine

Kids Definition

canteen

noun

can·​teen kan-ˈtēn 

1

: a store (as in a camp) in which food, drinks, and small supplies are sold

2

: a place of recreation and entertainment for people in military service

3

: a small container for carrying liquids (as on a hike)