short-order

adjective

ˈshȯrt-ˌȯr-dər 

-ˈȯr-

: preparing or serving food that can be cooked quickly to a customer's order

a short-order cook

Examples of short-order in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One of Robert De Niro’s most underrated performances is his portrayal of the title character in 1990’s Stanley & Iris, a short-order cook who sparks a romance with a waitress played by Jane Fonda. — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 21 July 2026

The bakery-café chain gets top ratings for delivery drivers and short-order cooks, among other jobs. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 29 June 2026

But at-least this gives us something to calibrate our beliefs against in relatively short-order, and re-calibrate if the facts change. — Vineer Bhansali, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

Guests crowd around the horseshoe-shape counter to watch short-order cooks flip pancakes, crack eggs, and work the sizzling griddle just feet away. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Midwest Living, 31 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for short-order

• camcorder
• disorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder
• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder

Kids Definition

short-order

adjective

ˌshȯrt-ˌȯrd-ər

: preparing or serving food that can be cooked quickly when a customer orders it

a short-order cook