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.
Vicky Barnes was the heartbeat of the diner who knew just about every customer who walked through the door. Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2025 The diner specializes in Creole and Cajun cuisine and serves just breakfast and lunch, with various egg scrambles, to-die-for biscuits and gravy, po’boys, burgers, and sandwiches on the menu. Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2025 The show at The Iridium (1650 Broadway, right underneath the diner) will feature live ABBA performances from Ellen’s Stardust Diner’s world-famous singing waitstaff a two hours of brunch, featuring your choice of an entrée and bottomless mimosas. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 Many chefs are inspired by art or use techniques like sketching or photography to develop dishes that the diner experiences as another expression of creativity and beauty. Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Apr. 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 2 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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