Meeting English students in Brighton

What does “canteen” mean in British English?

A canteen is a place at a school, an office, or a factory where you can buy food and eat it. This word is very common in British English. People in the United States say “cafeteria” for the same place. A British student says, “We eat lunch in the canteen.” An American student says, “We eat lunch in the cafeteria.” Both words mean the same room.

The word canteen can also mean a small bottle for water that you carry, often used by soldiers or hikers. But at a school or an office, a canteen is the room where people sit and eat together.