# canteen

> English word · Noun · IPA /kænˈtiːn/ · frequency rank #23,191

## Definitions
1. A small cafeteria or snack bar, especially one in a military establishment, school, or place of work.
2. A small cafeteria or snack bar, especially one in a military establishment, school, or place of work.
3. A small cafeteria or snack bar, especially one in a military establishment, school, or place of work.
4. A temporary or mobile café used in an emergency or on a film location etc.
5. A box with compartments for storing eating utensils, silverware etc.
6. A military mess kit.
7. A water bottle, flask, or other vessel, typically used by a soldier or camper as a bottle for carrying water or liquor for drink.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French cantine, itself borrowed from Italian cantina. Doublet of cantina.

## Easily confused with
- **canton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/canteen-vs-canton)
- **canter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/canteen-vs-canter)

## Common misspellings (10)
`acnteen`, `caneten`, `cannteen`, `canteenn`, `canten`, `cantene`, `cantteen`, `catneen`, `ccanteen`, `cnateen`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/canteen