C1 noun Neutral

buffet

/ˈbʌfɪt/ (blow) or /bʊˈfeɪ/ (food)

A buffet is a heavy blow or strike, particularly one delivered with the hand or a weapon; metaphorically, it refers to a sudden shock, misfortune, or series of adverse circumstances that cause distress. In a social context, it also refers to a meal consisting of several dishes from which guests serve themselves.

Examples

3 of 5
1

The hotel provides a complimentary breakfast buffet for all its guests.

The hotel provides a complimentary breakfast buffet for all its guests.

2

The institution struggled to remain solvent after the buffet of the global financial crisis.

The institution struggled to remain solvent after the buffet of the global financial crisis.

3

After that buffet to his ego, he wasn't exactly in the mood to party.

After that buffet to his ego, he wasn't exactly in the mood to party.

Word Family

Noun
buffet
Verb
buffet
Adjective
buffeted
Related
buffeting
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Memory Tip

Think of a 'buff' person giving someone a 'buffet' (blow) while standing at a 'buffet' (food table).

Quick Quiz

The small company managed to survive the ______ of the market crash through careful diversification.

Correct!

The correct answer is: buffet

Examples

1

The hotel provides a complimentary breakfast buffet for all its guests.

everyday

The hotel provides a complimentary breakfast buffet for all its guests.

2

The institution struggled to remain solvent after the buffet of the global financial crisis.

formal

The institution struggled to remain solvent after the buffet of the global financial crisis.

3

After that buffet to his ego, he wasn't exactly in the mood to party.

informal

After that buffet to his ego, he wasn't exactly in the mood to party.

4

The coastal structures must be designed to withstand the constant buffet of salt spray and gale-force winds.

academic

The coastal structures must be designed to withstand the constant buffet of salt spray and gale-force winds.

5

Our quarterly earnings took a buffet due to the unexpected rise in raw material costs.

business

Our quarterly earnings took a buffet due to the unexpected rise in raw material costs.

Word Family

Noun
buffet
Verb
buffet
Adjective
buffeted
Related
buffeting

Common Collocations

take a buffet to suffer a blow or setback
weather the buffet to endure or survive shocks or difficulties
economic buffet a financial shock or blow
all-you-can-eat buffet a meal where you can eat as much as you want for a fixed price
constant buffet repeated strikes or pressures

Common Phrases

a buffet of choices

a wide and diverse variety of options

buffeted by fate

pushed around or harmed by unlucky circumstances

cold buffet

a self-service meal consisting of cold foods

Often Confused With

buffet vs buffet (pronunciation)

The food sense is usually pronounced /bʊˈfeɪ/, while the blow/strike sense is pronounced /ˈbʌfɪt/.

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Usage Notes

When using 'buffet' as a noun meaning a blow or shock, it is often used in literary or academic contexts. In everyday speech, it almost exclusively refers to the self-service meal.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Learners often use the French-influenced pronunciation (/bʊˈfeɪ/) for the academic sense of 'a strike or blow', which should be pronounced like 'bucket' (/ˈbʌfɪt/).

💡

Memory Tip

Think of a 'buff' person giving someone a 'buffet' (blow) while standing at a 'buffet' (food table).

📖

Word Origin

From the Old French 'bufe', meaning a blow, slap, or puff of wind.

Grammar Patterns

Countable noun Often used with 'of' (e.g., a buffet of misfortunes) Can function as a collective noun for food
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Cultural Context

The 'buffet' style of dining became highly popular in 20th-century Western culture as a symbol of abundance and casual social interaction.

Quick Quiz

The small company managed to survive the ______ of the market crash through careful diversification.

Correct!

The correct answer is: buffet

Related Words

pale

A1

Describes something that has very little color or is much lighter than usual. It is often used to describe a person's face when they are ill or a color that is mixed with a lot of white.

lung

A1

The lungs are two organs inside your chest that you use to breathe. They bring oxygen into your body and remove carbon dioxide when you breathe out.

tropical

A1

Relating to the hot regions of the Earth near the equator. It describes weather that is very warm and wet, or plants and animals that come from these areas.

trader

A1

A trader is a person whose job is to buy and sell goods, stocks, or other items for profit. They can work in a small local market or on large international financial exchanges.

indoor

A1

Describes something that is located, happens, or is used inside a building rather than outside. It is an adjective used before a noun to talk about activities or objects protected from the weather.

threshold

A1

A threshold is the physical area at the bottom of a doorway that you step over to enter a room or building. It also refers to the level or point at which something starts to happen or changes.

tribute

A1

A tribute is something that you say, do, or give to show your respect and admiration for someone. It is often a public act used to honor a person's life, work, or memory.

elder

A1

Used to describe a person who is older than another, especially within a family. It is also used to refer to people who have a high status or more experience because of their age.

russian

A1

Relating to Russia, its people, its language, or its culture. It describes things that come from or are connected to the largest country in the world.

southeastern

A1

Located in or coming from the direction between south and east. It describes a place, a region, or a wind that is in the corner between the bottom and the right on a map.

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