Standard Lemma guide

foodservice

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: F UW1 D S ER1 V IH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The business of providing food and related services.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • Employee turnover tends to be high in the foodservice industry.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *peh2-der. Proto-Germanic *fōdô Old English fōda Middle English fode English food Proto-Indo-European *ser-der.? Proto-Italic *serwos Latin servus Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin -itia Latin servitiumbor. Old French servisebor. Old English serfis Middle English servise English service English foodservice From food + service.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 餐飲業 /餐饮业 (cānyǐnyè) — business
  • Finnish: ateriapalvelu — business
  • Finnish: catering — business
  • French: services de restauration — business