Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
BUFFET
I. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, diminutive of buffe blow
Date: 13th century
a blow especially with the hand, something that strikes with telling force,
II. verb
Date: 13th century
transitive verb to strike sharply especially with the hand ; cuff , to strike repeatedly ; batter , to drive, force, move, or attack by or as if by repeated blows, intransitive verb to make one's way especially under difficult conditions,
III. noun
Etymology: French
Date: 1718
sideboard ,
2. a counter for refreshments, a restaurant operated as a public convenience (as in a railway station), a meal set out on a buffet or table for ready access and informal service,
IV. adjective
Date: 1898
served informally (as from a buffet)