meal

Definition

Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity (as opposed to a snack).

Etymology

From Middle English mel, from Old English mǣl (“measure, time, occasion, set time, time for eating, meal”), from Proto-West Germanic *māl, from Proto-Germanic *mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- (“to measure”). Cognate with West Frisian miel, Dutch maal (“meal, time, occurrence”), German Mal (“time”), Mahl (“meal”), Norwegian Bokmål mål (“meal”), Swedish mål (“meal”); and (from Proto-Indo-European) with Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron, “measure”), Latin mensus, Russian ме́ра (méra, “measure”), Lithuanian mẽtas. Related to Old English mǣþ (“measure, degree, proportion”).

Example Sentences

• "Breakfast is the morning meal, lunch is the noon meal, and dinner, or supper, is the evening meal."
• "c1450, Secreta Secretorumː He that will cast meal upon meal is not able to have (a) long life."
• "c1500, The King and the Hermitː I have been there and taken deal / And have had many (a) merry meal."