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buffet

noun · verb

Simple meaning

Food laid out in this way, to which diners serve themselves.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

buhfay

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US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

bəˈfeɪ

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. A meal set out on a buffet at which guests help themselves

  2. Food laid out in this way, to which diners serve themselves.

  3. A counter or sideboard from which food and drinks are served or may be bought.

  4. countable

    A blow or cuff with or as if with the hand, or by any other solid object or the wind.

  5. A small low stool; a hassock.

verb

  1. Strike against forcefully

  2. Strike, beat repeatedly

  3. To affect as with blows; to strike repeatedly; to strive with or contend against.

  4. intransitive

    To struggle, contend; also in figurative or extended use: to move as if driven by force.

  5. transitivefigurative

    To aggressively challenge, denounce, or criticise.

  6. To deaden the sound of (bells) by muffling the clapper.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Moderately Common
Typical Use
Neutral / general English

Word Aura™

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More ways to use buffet

  • “Winds buffeted the tent.”verb

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

Meal

breakfast buffetbuffet lunch

Other combinations

buffet tablebuffet supperbuffet dinnerbuffet stylecold buffeteat buffet

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • buffet carnounCompound term

    A passenger car where food is served in transit.

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.