diner

noun

din·​er ˈdī-nər 

1

: a person who dines (as in a restaurant) or who is dining

2

a

: dining car

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

Synonyms of diner

• restaurant

Examples of diner in a Sentence

we'll just grab a quick hamburger at the local diner

Recent Examples on the Web

This is even more true at Rumari Counter, a new experience with comfy stools for up to 10 diners per night who get the pleasure of eating a prix-fixe meal that will never be prepared again (the counter menu changes nightly). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026

Big Creek — a breakfast and lunch diner — did not respond to The Star’s requests for comments. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026

His growing business has drawn diners such as TV producer Phil Rosenthal and celebrity chef Roy Choi. — Heather Platt, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

The promotion is dine-in only, limited to guests 21 and older and available only to the first 200 diners in line at each location. — Claire Goodman, Houston Chronicle, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing diner

• diner-out

Rhymes for diner

• finer
• liner
• miner
• minor
• schreiner
• seiner
• shiner
• shriner
• signer
• spinor
• viner
• weiner

Kids Definition

diner

noun

din·​er ˈdī-nər 

1

: one that dines

2

a

: dining car

b

: a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car