diner

noun

din·​er ˈdī-nər How to pronounce diner (audio)
1
: a person who dines (as in a restaurant) or who is dining
2
b
chiefly US : a typically small, informal, and inexpensive restaurant that has an extensive menu and that is often made from or designed to resemble a modified railroad dining car
had lunch at a roadside diner

Examples of diner in a Sentence

we'll just grab a quick hamburger at the local diner
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sacramento County health inspectors closed a diner, two grocery stores and other local eateries due to cockroaches, rodent droppings and other food safety violations. Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025 Though the diner style spot serves everything from wings to salads to fish, their burgers are what really stand out. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025 This multiple-course educational dinner teaches diners about the local shellfish species and recreational and commercial lobster fishing. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025 Porta Blu, the restaurant at the Hotel Nia in Menlo Park, will take diners on a culinary trip to Sicily for its last Passport Dinner of 2025. Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for diner

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of diner was in 1815

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diner. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

diner

noun
din·​er ˈdī-nər How to pronounce diner (audio)
1
: one that dines
2
b
: a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car

More from Merriam-Webster on diner

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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