diner
UK: ˈdaɪnə | US: ˈdaɪnər
n. 1. A person eating a meal, especially in a restaurant.
n. 2. A small, informal restaurant, often resembling a railroad dining car.
diner = dine<to eat> + er<person who does>
- dine (from Old French disner, meaning "to eat a meal," originally from Latin disjejunare, "to break one's fast")
- er (agentive suffix in English, indicating "one who does something")
Etymology Origin:
The word "diner" evolved from the verb "dine," which traces back to Latin disjejunare (to break a fast). Over time, "diner" came to mean both "a person eating" and, by extension, "a place where one eats"—specifically, the casual American roadside restaurants modeled after early 20th-century dining cars. The suffix "-er" solidifies its role as a noun denoting either the actor or the location associated with the action.
The diner enjoyed his steak at the cozy booth.
This classic diner serves breakfast all day.
She works as a waitress at a 24-hour diner.
The diner was crowded with late-night customers.
They stopped at a retro diner on their road trip.