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
The sparse meals at a company canteen were sometimes contaminated with cockroaches, several of the former employees, now among 13 plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Kimberly-Clark, told the Journal Sentinel.
—
Steven Martinez, Journal Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2024
Punishment for her infractions involved the loss of visitation, canteen and telephone privileges.
—Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2024
The chic canteen would only be in place for the night before disappearing, a wildly detailed and expensive sandcastle washed away in a sea of black Escalades.
—Josh Condon, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2024
At dusk on November 26, an Aussie soldier invited an American serviceman to join him for a beer at a canteen near the PX.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for canteen 
Steven Martinez, Journal Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2024
Punishment for her infractions involved the loss of visitation, canteen and telephone privileges.
—Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2024
The chic canteen would only be in place for the night before disappearing, a wildly detailed and expensive sandcastle washed away in a sea of black Escalades.
—Josh Condon, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2024
At dusk on November 26, an Aussie soldier invited an American serviceman to join him for a beer at a canteen near the PX.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for canteen
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'canteen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near canteen
Cite this Entry
“Canteen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canteen. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
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)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share