canteen
gb/kæntˈin/ us/kæntˈin/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
cafeteria in a school or workplace
a place where you buy and eat food at school or work
Usage pattern:
in/at the canteen; the [school/work] canteen
Common mistake:
In American English, cafeteria is more common than canteen for this meaning.
Synonyms
cafeteria (More common in American English.)
|
dining hall (Often used for universities and large institutions.)
Collocations
school canteen
|work canteen
|factory canteen
|canteen food
|canteen lunch
|canteen queue
|canteen staff
|canteen table
|canteen menu
|canteen break
Themes
food_and_drink
|education
|work
|daily_life
Examples
- I usually grab a sandwich in the canteen at lunchtime.
- The school canteen sells hot meals and snacks.
- We met in the canteen after the morning meeting.
Learner examples
- I eat lunch in the canteen.
- The canteen is closed today.
Noun
B1
entity
2
portable bottle for carrying water
a bottle you carry with water, often for hiking or the army
Usage pattern:
a canteen of [water]; fill/refill [a] canteen
Common mistake:
Do not confuse this with a cafeteria; context usually makes it clear.
Synonyms
flask (Often implies a more rigid bottle; can also mean a hip flask for alcohol.)
|
water bottle (More general and common in everyday speech.)
Collocations
water canteen
|army canteen
|military canteen
|canteen bottle
|canteen cup
|fill a canteen
|refill your canteen
|strap a canteen
|canteen on a belt
|empty canteen
Themes
outdoors
|sports
|travel
|military
|daily_life
Examples
- Bring a canteen of water if you’re hiking in the heat.
- He refilled his canteen at the stream.
- The soldiers carried canteens on their belts.
Learner examples
- I filled my canteen with water.
Noun
B2
entity
3
small refreshment shop on a site
a small place that sells snacks and drinks in a building or on a base
Usage pattern:
the canteen on [a site/base]; buy [something] at the canteen
Common mistake:
This is about a small shop/counter; a larger eating area is often called a cafeteria or dining hall.
Synonyms
snack bar (Emphasizes quick snacks rather than full meals.)
|
concession stand (More common at events like sports games.)
Collocations
base canteen
|camp canteen
|site canteen
|hospital canteen
|canteen counter
|canteen prices
|canteen supplies
|buy snacks at the canteen
|canteen run
|canteen opening hours
Themes
food_and_drink
|work
|shopping
|military
Examples
- There’s a small canteen near the entrance that sells coffee and pastries.
- He picked up toothpaste and snacks from the base canteen.
- The site canteen opens at 6 a.m. for the early shift.
Learner examples
- I bought coffee at the canteen.
Noun
C1
entity
4
boxed set of cutlery or dishes
a box with knives, forks, and spoons inside
Usage pattern:
a canteen of [cutlery/silver]; pack the canteen
Common mistake:
This meaning is less common; many learners only know canteen as a place or a water bottle.
Synonyms
cutlery set (More direct and common phrasing.)
|
silverware case (Often used when the set is made of silver or used formally.)
Collocations
canteen of cutlery
|silver canteen
|picnic canteen
|camping canteen
|canteen case
|a twelve-piece canteen
|a canteen set
|pack the canteen
|portable canteen
|stainless-steel canteen
Themes
home
|food_and_drink
|travel
|outdoors
Examples
- They gave her a canteen of cutlery as a wedding present.
- We packed a picnic canteen with plates, cups, and knives.
- The canteen came in a wooden case with a handle.
Learner examples
- This canteen has knives and forks.
Grammar
Dictionary form
canteen
IPA
GB/kæntˈin/
US/kæntˈin/
Syllables & stress
canteen (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: canteen
- Plural: canteens
Word family
Forms
canteens
noun
Related words
cafeteria
noun A2
café
noun
Expressions
canteen culture
1/kæntˈin kˈʌlt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
socializing over drinks at work
a work culture where people bond in an informal (sometimes drinking) setting
Examples
- Some staff said the canteen culture made it hard for non-drinkers to fit in.
- The report criticized a canteen culture where decisions were made informally after hours.
canteen truck
1/kæntˈin tɹˈʌk/
fixed phrase
food truck for workers
a truck that sells food and drinks at work sites
Examples
- The canteen truck pulls up at ten, so we take our break then.
- He grabbed a coffee and a snack from the canteen truck.