Buffet
/ˈbʌf.eɪ/noun
A meal where people serve themselves from a variety of dishes, or a piece of furniture for serving or storing food.
Did you know?The English word buffet comes through French, where it originally meant a blow or slap, and only later became linked to a sideboard and then a self-serve spread of food.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*buffōn / *buffa-
“To strike or puff out; an imitative base associated with blows or swelling”
Old French
OFr
buffet
“A blow, slap, or knock”
Middle French
MF
buffet
“A sideboard or small table for serving food”
16th Century
English
buffet
“A sideboard for dishes, drinks, or serving ware”
18th-20th Century
English
buffet
“A self-service meal laid out on a table”