Explaining the French Spelling of Restaurant

Resturant, restaurante, restront, restrant, ristorante

Restaurant ✔️


What Is the Definition of a “Restaurant”?

A restaurant is a place and business where food and beverages are served to the customers.

Let's go to another restaurant next time, this was awful.

How Do You Spell and Pronounce “Restaurant”?

Restaurant can be pronounced differently, which makes it even harder to remember the spelling. The following sentence rhymes:

I don't want to go to the restaurant.

In mostly Standard British English it is /ˈrestrɒnt/(so with no syllable between “t” and “r,” and short “o” afterwards), whereas many American speakers pronounce it as /ˈrest(ə)rɑːnt/ (so with or without this additional syllable, and a long “ah” afterwards).

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Why Is the Spelling of “Restaurant” Unclear?

The word is a French loan word, coming from “restaurer” (English: provide food for). It has entered the English language in the early 19th Century. Several Italian food places carry the name of “ristorante,” so that the confusion is even bigger.

Are There Any Collocations or Synonyms for “Restaurant”?

The word appears frequently with the following expressions (collocations):

  • Self-service
  • fast-food
  • chain
  • (Nationalities like) Italian, Chinese, etc.
Synonyms
(Alternative words)
Example Sentences
Café We were having lunch at a nice restaurant (café).
Eating place Let's go to our favorite restaurant (eating place).
Eating house I am the new owner of three famous restaurants (eating houses) now.

How to Remember the Spelling of “Restaurant”

You have three options to remember the unusual spelling of the foreign word.

  1. Remember the original French pronunciation. Later on, you can also memorize its unique spelling.
  2. Use LanguageTool as your free writing assistant. It detects typos and offers precise alternatives among other features.
  3. Think of this sentence:

    The waiter in the restaurant had a beautiful aura.