buffet

1 of 4

noun (1)

buf·​fet ˈbə-fət How to pronounce buffet (audio)
1
: a blow especially with the hand
2
: something that strikes with telling force

buffet

2 of 4

verb

buf·​fet ˈbə-fət How to pronounce buffet (audio)
buffeted; buffeting; buffets

transitive verb

1
: to strike sharply especially with the hand : cuff
2
: to strike repeatedly : batter
the waves buffeted the shore
3
: to drive, force, move, or attack by or as if by repeated blows
schools being buffeted by budget cuts

intransitive verb

: to make one's way especially under difficult conditions

buffet

3 of 4

noun (2)

buf·​fet (ˌ)bə-ˈfā How to pronounce buffet (audio)
bü-ˈfā,
British especially
ˈbü-ˌfā How to pronounce buffet (audio)
plural buffets
1
furniture : sideboard sense 1
2
a
: a counter for refreshments
went back to the buffet for a second helping
b
chiefly British : a restaurant operated as a public convenience (as in a railway station)
c
: a meal set out on a buffet or table for ready access and informal service
a restaurant that offers a breakfast buffet
3
: an assortment of options or offerings : variety
Once you're up there among the clouds, you'll have a buffet of skiing options.Brad Wetzler

buffet

4 of 4

adjective

buf·​fet (ˌ)bə-ˈfā How to pronounce buffet (audio)
bü-ˈfā,
British especially
ˈbü-ˌfā How to pronounce buffet (audio)
: served informally especially as a buffet (see buffet entry 3 sense 2c)
a buffet meal
buffet luncheons

Examples of buffet in a Sentence

Noun (1) delivered a powerful buffet to the side of the prisoner's head Verb The strong winds buffeted the ship. fierce winds buffeted the small sailboat Noun (2) a buffet completed the kitchen set
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The hotel’s generous breakfast buffet package, included with our room rate, was a nice bonus. George Varga, Twin Cities, 21 May 2024 The breakfast buffet at BIVIUM includes detox juices and indulgent tiramisu croissants. Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2024 The food for thought here is a Vegas buffet of philosophy, capsule histories and literary touchstones. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 May 2024 Cost is $165 for golf and luncheon; $30 for buffet luncheon only. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2024 Mom can enjoy fresh seafood with an Italian influence at Osteria's Mother's Day brunch buffet. Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 6 May 2024 Golden Corral: Get 20% off one adult buffet purchase during Teacher Appreciation Week with identification or proof of employment at participating locations. Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 6 May 2024 The brunch will include a buffet meal, popcorn and a movie. Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 5 May 2024 Those looking to get the most bang for their buck can — and should — take advantage of Vegas’ seemingly endless buffets, says DePesa. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2024
Verb
In July 2023, seven people were injured on a Hawaiian Airlines flight to Sydney, Australia, when the plane was buffeted by severe turbulence, and 36 people were injured on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Arizona to Honolulu in December 2022, with 20 people taken to emergency rooms. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 21 May 2024 The agency was also buffeted by a class action lawsuit alleging that many L.A. residents were overcharged for sewer services, which led to the creation of a $57.5-million settlement fund to pay for customer refunds. Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2024 Separately, a whirlwind of litigation has buffeted the tower. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 1 May 2024 He’d been buffeted by History, every bit as much as his son. Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024 Diageo has already felt the chill of headwinds buffeting the wider luxury sector. Angus MacKinnon, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024 Debris — thick branches, leaves and dirt — lined the streets of the Curtis Park neighborhood after powerful winds buffeted the capital region for more than eight hours Sunday. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2024 The crosswinds also were strong at San Diego International Airport, buffeting commercial jets throughout the morning. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2024 The story is a familiar one — a young immigrant fetches up in New York to seek his fortune, only to be buffeted by a bumptious city and cut to the quick by its competitive edge — but Torres reshapes it into something simultaneously more fantastical and far more real. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Customers can expect to see non-buffet-style food options, and social distancing will likely require a reduction in the number of people allowed in the usually crowded lounges. Julian Kheel, CNN Underscored, 1 June 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'buffet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, diminutive of buffe blow

Verb

Middle English buffeten, verbal derivative of buffet buffet entry 1

Noun (2)

borrowed from French, going back to Old French, "stool, table, counter," of uncertain origin

Adjective

adjective derivative of buffet entry 3

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of buffet was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near buffet

Cite this Entry

“Buffet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buffet. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

buffet

1 of 3 noun
buf·​fet ˈbəf-ət How to pronounce buffet (audio)
: a blow especially with the hand

buffet

2 of 3 verb
: to pound repeatedly : batter

buffet

3 of 3 noun
buf·​fet (ˌ)bə-ˈfā How to pronounce buffet (audio) bü-ˈfā How to pronounce buffet (audio)
ˈbü-ˌfā
1
2
: a meal set out on a sideboard, table, or countertop for guests to serve themselves
Etymology

Noun

Middle English buffet "a blow with the hand," derived from early French buffe "a blow"

Noun

French

More from Merriam-Webster on buffet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!