buffet
UK[ˈbʊfeɪ]US[bəˈfeɪ]
n
A meal where people serve themselves from a variety of dishes set out on a table or sideboard.
n
A counter or restaurant where such meals are served.
v
To strike repeatedly or be subjected to repeated blows or difficulties.
Etymology
The word 'buffet' entered English from French in two distinct waves with related but separate meanings. The noun, referring to a sideboard or a meal served from one, derives from Old French 'buffet', meaning a stool or bench, which itself likely originated from an unknown source. The verb, meaning to strike, comes from the Old French 'buffeter', meaning to hit with the fist, a word of imitative origin suggesting the sound of a blow. Despite their identical spelling in modern English, these two senses represent separate etymological paths that converged into a single form, illustrating how language can absorb and merge words from the same donor language.
Analysis
This word is a loanword from French. The English spelling and pronunciation were adopted directly from the French source.
Examples
The hotel offers a lavish breakfast buffet every morning.
We were buffeted by strong winds as we climbed the ridge.
He went back to the buffet to get a second helping of dessert.