lunch

1 of 2

noun

ˈlənch 

1

: a usually light meal

especially : one taken in the middle of the day

2

: the food prepared for a lunch

see also:

eat someone's lunch out to lunch

lunch

2 of 2

verb

lunched; lunching; lunches

intransitive verb

: to eat lunch

transitive verb

: to treat to lunch

luncher noun

Examples of lunch in a Sentence

Noun

I like to eat a healthy lunch every day.

We took a picnic lunch to the park.

They've brought their own lunches with them.

I had just a sandwich for lunch.

I bought her some lunch.

Verb

She often lunches in the park.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cannubi, chef Umberto Bombana’s one-Michelin-star Italian restaurant, offers both à la carte and tasting menu options for lunch and dinner in a warm room touched by dark timber, shades of gold, and views of the cascading waterfall outside. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026

The Capri Restaurant is one of those iconic breakfast and lunch joints that feels like it’s been in Boise for decades and decades. — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 5 Nov. 2026

Verb

Fires blazed at industrial and port installations, sending towering plumes of black smoke over families lunching by the seaside and children playing in the sand. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2026

Diane refuses, but April hesitantly makes the trip, only to learn that Theo — an artistic dilettante who lives in the city with his girlfriend, Lucy (Odessa A’zion) — has been lunching with Sandra behind her back. — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably short for luncheon

First Known Use

Noun

1783, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1811, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing lunch

• bag lunch
• box lunch
• do dinner/lunch
• eat/have someone or something for lunch
• eat someone's lunch
• eat someone's or something's lunch
• free lunch
• lose one's lunch
• lunch box
• lunch break
• lunch-bucket
• lunch counter
• lunch hour
• lunch meat
• out to lunch
• packed lunch
• ploughman's lunch
• pre-lunch
• there is no free lunch
• there is no such thing as a free lunch
• working/business lunch

Rhymes for lunch

• brunch
• bunch
• chinch
• crunch
• hunch
• punch
• keypunch

Kids Definition

lunch

1 of 2 noun

ˈlənch 

1

: a light meal

especially : one eaten in the middle of the day

2

: the food prepared for a lunch

lunch

2 of 2 verb

: to eat or treat to lunch

luncher noun