Refectories

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A dining hall in a religious institution, especially used by monks or students for communal meals
2. A large room in a church, monastery, or college where meals are served to its members
3. A space designated for dining within educational or religious establishments where individuals gather to share food

Etymology: "Refectories" is the plural of "refectory," a monastery's dining hall. The singular came into English through Middle English "refectori," borrowed from Late Latin "refectorium," a word that meant a place for restoring strength through food and rest. Its root is the Latin verb "reficere," "to remake" or "to rebuild," which combines "re-" (again) with "facere" (to make). The idea behind the name is restoration: a meal was where a body was remade after the day's labour or fasting. Monastic communities used the term for the room where they ate together, and the sense of "refreshment" embedded in the Latin is what gives the word its meaning of a place for nourishment rather than a simple dining room.

Synonyms: cafeterias, dining halls, eateries, canteens, bistros