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.
There are signs of belt-tightening abound on Chinese city streets, where diners pack restaurants offering 40 cent breakfasts, and stores hold flash sales and wage price wars with competitors. Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 9 May 2025 Devoted diners walk down to support restaurants while vehicle traffic and subway service are still suspended. New York Times, 7 May 2025 Currently, the city of Irvine is building out 800 additional acres of the park, adding 22 acres of cascading lakes with waterfalls, islands and a shorefront restaurant to which diners will be able to boat up to or paddle up to in canoes. Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 7 May 2025 In the final scene of the HBO drama, Tony (Gandolfini), Carmela (Edie Falco), Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) and A.J. (Robert Iler) all meet up for a meal at Holsten’s diner. Esther Kang, People.com, 7 May 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

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Cite this Entry

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