noun
mess
Communal dining provided for a group of military personnel.
The soldiers gather in the mess for their evening meal.
Etymology
The older word named a serving of food. It expanded from the meal to the group eating together and the arrangements for their communal dining.
More examples
- She joins the officers' mess after receiving her commission.
- The ship's mess serves hot meals throughout the deployment.
- The recruits report to mess as soon as training ends.
Forms
mess · messes
Similar words
- mess hall
- Specifies the dining room, rather than the meal or group.
- cafeteria
- Usually implies self-service dining, without a specifically military setting.