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

Her first assignment was in a canteen at an aviation training center near Tours. — April White, JSTOR Daily, 23 Sep. 2026

As of this month, the neighborhood even has a local artists canteen. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026

For all its sailors’ dives and dockworker canteens, Hamburg is also a place of vast wealth, and of the material beauty that its shipping has built. — Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026

Sixteen months after his savage takedown of L’Avenue, the fashion-world canteen on swanky Avenue Montaigne, Yann has become a major thorn in the side of Paris chefs and restaurant owners. — Alexander Lobrano, Air Mail, 5 Sep. 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)