dinner

noun

din·​ner ˈdi-nər How to pronounce dinner (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: the principal meal of the day
having dinner at five o'clock
b
: a formal feast or banquet
held a dinner in her honor
2
3
: the food prepared for a dinner
eat your dinner
4
: a packaged meal usually for quick preparation
warmed up a frozen dinner
dinnerless adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between dinner and supper?

In modern use dinner and supper both usually refer to the main meal of the day eaten in the evening, with dinner being the slightly more formal word. Formerly, dinner typically referred to a main meal eaten in the middle of the day, while supper referred to a light meal eaten in the evening. That meaning of supper is still current in British English and among some speakers of American English.

What time is dinner?

The word dinner typically now refers to the main meal of the day eaten in the evening. In the phrase "Sunday dinner," dinner often refers to a main meal eaten earlier in the day on Sunday.

Why is it called dinner?

The word dinner comes from the Anglo-French (that is, the French spoken in medieval England) word disner, meaning "to dine." It has been in use since the 13th century.

Examples of dinner in a Sentence

We had many pleasant dinners together. We're planning to ask them to dinner soon. Two hundred people attended his retirement dinner.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Welcomed aboard with a chilled glass of white Port, settle in for your first dinner: crispy crab cakes, veal sirloin, and mini cheese boards, or nightly Viking staples—think Caesar salads and juicy Angus ribeye. Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025 While suburban teachers can commute to a meeting and be home for dinner, rural affiliates must book hotels, rent vehicles, and use up personal days just to sit in a room where they are often outnumbered and politically outshouted. Jeremy Gosnell, Baltimore Sun, 20 July 2025 The full-service soul food restaurant serves lunch, dinner and brunch. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado july 20, Sacbee.com, 20 July 2025 The story follows an engaged interfaith couple are about to have their parents meet for the first time over a Shabbat dinner when an accidental death gets in the way. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for dinner

Word History

Etymology

Middle English diner, from Anglo-French disner, diner meal, from disner to dine

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dinner was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dinner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dinner. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

dinner

noun
din·​ner ˈdin-ər How to pronounce dinner (audio)
1
: the main meal of the day
2

More from Merriam-Webster on dinner

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