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

Waffle House, the iconic, 24-hour Southern diner, is dabbling in another comfort food — the beloved taco. — Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Now, McDonald’s is betting on fancier chicken and airer restaurants to draw back diners. — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

The result is one of the restaurant’s most memorable design features, giving diners something to look at beyond the food piled onto their plates. — Abby Price, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026

Here’s a look at the landmarks, diners and hideaways that invigorated him. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 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