noun
diner
DEYE-nuh
noun
1
A small, casual restaurant, often open long hours and serving simple, affordable food, historically styled like a railroad dining car.
"They grabbed pancakes at a roadside diner on the way home."
"The diner's neon sign glowed all night long."
2
A person who is eating a meal, especially at a restaurant.
"The waiter took the diners' orders one table at a time."
How to Use Diner
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a casual, inexpensive restaurant, or simply someone who is eating.
Common pairings
roadside diner
greasy-spoon diner
Word Forms
diners plural, diners plural
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They grabbed pancakes at a roadside _____ on the way home.
Etymology
From "dine" plus the agent suffix "-er".