caf·e·te·ria
ˌka-fə-ˈtir-ē-ə 
1
: a restaurant in which the customers serve themselves or are served at a counter and take the food to tables to eat
: providing a selection from which a choice may be made
cafeteria benefit plan
a cafeteria curriculum
Examples of cafeteria in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024
From that meeting in the Cleveland Clinic cafeteria, the smart mouthguard was conceived.
—Jeffrey Tomik, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
That’s the moment in the day when my cafeteria recall is at its most profound; when families, lovers, and friends are dining together, enjoying each other’s company and the ease that intimacy brings.
—Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2024
Multi-use space and cafeteria upgrades at the high school.
—Sue Kiesewetter, The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024
Schools should ensure children have a place to go during lunchtime other than the cafeteria, with its food smells and boisterous noises, said DeCuir, a lecturer at American University in Washington, D.C.
—USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
Assembly Bill 2316 would prohibit school cafeterias from offering foods containing six artificial food dyes that have been linked to hyperactivity and behavioral issues in some children.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2024
The cafeteria where Davis spoke from was just the starting point for the after-school participants.
—Scott Talley, Detroit Free Press, 3 Mar. 2024
In Mesa, cameras are in hallways, cafeterias, gymnasiums, auditoriums, courtyards and around the perimeter of buildings.
—The Arizona Republic, 28 Feb. 2024
Rafael Guerrero, chicagotribune.com, 15 June 2021
Noun
How school cafeterias can shape student mental health, and what Wisconsin is doing about it How Wisconsin parents are protecting kids' mental health from social media — without banning their phones Police are slated to return to Milwaukee Public Schools in January.
—Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024
From that meeting in the Cleveland Clinic cafeteria, the smart mouthguard was conceived.
—Jeffrey Tomik, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
That’s the moment in the day when my cafeteria recall is at its most profound; when families, lovers, and friends are dining together, enjoying each other’s company and the ease that intimacy brings.
—Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2024
Multi-use space and cafeteria upgrades at the high school.
—Sue Kiesewetter, The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024
Schools should ensure children have a place to go during lunchtime other than the cafeteria, with its food smells and boisterous noises, said DeCuir, a lecturer at American University in Washington, D.C.
—USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
Assembly Bill 2316 would prohibit school cafeterias from offering foods containing six artificial food dyes that have been linked to hyperactivity and behavioral issues in some children.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2024
The cafeteria where Davis spoke from was just the starting point for the after-school participants.
—Scott Talley, Detroit Free Press, 3 Mar. 2024
In Mesa, cameras are in hallways, cafeterias, gymnasiums, auditoriums, courtyards and around the perimeter of buildings.
—The Arizona Republic, 28 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Officials floated several ideas Monday on how to deal with lunchroom sizes, including allowing students to eat in non-cafeteria sites, younger students eating picnic style or high school juniors and seniors being allowed to leave the school campus for lunch.
—Rafael Guerrero, chicagotribune.com, 15 June 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cafeteria.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cafeteria
Cite this Entry
“Cafeteria.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cafeteria. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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