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noun

bistro

BEEST-roh

Bistro (noun) means a small, casual restaurant, often serving simple French-style food. Example: “They found a cozy bistro tucked down a side street in Paris.”

noun
1
A small, casual restaurant, often serving simple French-style food.
"They found a cozy bistro tucked down a side street in Paris."

How to use bistro

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small, relaxed restaurant, typically French in style.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
a French bistro bistro menu corner bistro

Word forms

bistroed past tense, bistros plural, bistros singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

They found a cozy _____ tucked down a side street in Paris.

Etymology

From French bistro(t), first recorded around the 1880s meaning "tavern keeper", of uncertain regional dialect origin.

Origin: French · First attested 1880

Class of 1880 bistro joined the language around 1880.
See the full Class of 1880 →

Frequently asked questions

What does “bistro” mean?

The word “bistro” means a small, casual restaurant, often serving simple French-style food. In plain terms, a small, relaxed restaurant, typically French in style.

How do you pronounce “bistro”?

“Bistro” is pronounced BEEST-roh (/ˈbiːstɹoʊ/ in IPA).

How do you use “bistro” in a sentence?

Here is “bistro” used in a sentence: “They found a cozy bistro tucked down a side street in Paris.”

What part of speech is “bistro”?

“Bistro” is a noun.

Where does the word “bistro” come from?

The word “bistro” dates back to around 1880 and comes from French. From French bistro(t), first recorded around the 1880s meaning "tavern keeper", of uncertain regional dialect origin.

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