1
a
: a portable chest with compartments for carrying bottles or for cooking and eating utensils
b
: a flask for carrying liquids (as on a hike)
c
: mess kit
d
British
: a chest for storing flatware
2
a
: a bar at a military post or camp
b
: a general store at a military post : exchange
c
: an establishment that serves as an informal social club (as for soldiers or a community's teenagers)
d
: a small cafeteria or snack bar
Examples of canteen in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At his new prison, inmates can buy their own razors and nail clippers from the canteen.
—
Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
One of the cooks from the canteen where my mum had worked came by.
—Geoff Dyer, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
And not only does her role as Alison, a smart and determined deaf woman who works in a police canteen and gets recruited to use her lip-reading skills in a covert operation, redefine how deaf characters can be featured on screen.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025
Back then, Erik ten Hag was manager, the staff lunch in the Carrington canteen was more than just soup and sandwiches, and Harry Maguire was just a centre-back.
—Mark Critchley, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for canteen
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Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
One of the cooks from the canteen where my mum had worked came by.
—Geoff Dyer, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
And not only does her role as Alison, a smart and determined deaf woman who works in a police canteen and gets recruited to use her lip-reading skills in a covert operation, redefine how deaf characters can be featured on screen.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025
Back then, Erik ten Hag was manager, the staff lunch in the Carrington canteen was more than just soup and sandwiches, and Harry Maguire was just a centre-back.
—Mark Critchley, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for canteen
Cite this Entry
“Canteen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canteen. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
canteen
noun
can·teen
kan-ˈtēn 
1
: a store (as in a camp) in which food, drinks, and small supplies are sold
2
: a place of recreation and entertainment for people in military service
3
: a small container for carrying liquids (as on a hike)
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