meal

noun \ ˈmēl \

Definition of meal

1 : an act or the time of eating a portion of food to satisfy appetite

2 : the portion of food eaten at a meal

Origin and Etymology of meal

Middle English meel appointed time, meal, from Old English mǣl; akin to Old High German māl time, Latin metiri to measure — more at measure

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

meal

noun

Definition of meal

1 : the usually coarsely ground and unbolted seeds of a cereal grass or pulse; especially : cornmeal

2 : a product resembling seed meal especially in particle size or texture

Origin and Etymology of meal

Middle English mele, from Old English melu; akin to Old High German melo meal, Latin molere to grind, Greek mylē mill

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

-meal

adverb combining form

Definition of -meal

: by a (specified) portion or measure at a time

piecemeal

Origin and Etymology of -meal

Middle English -mele, from Old English -mǣlum, from mǣlum, dative plural of mǣl

MEAL Defined for Kids

meal

noun \ ˈmēl \

Definition of meal for Students

1 : the food eaten or prepared for eating at one time

2 : the act or time of eating

meal

noun

Definition of meal for Students

: coarsely ground seeds of a cereal grass and especially of corn

History for meal

You might assume that the meal of “three meals a day” and the meal of “ground meal,” have a common origin, since both words have to do with food. Surprisingly, this is not the case. The meal of “ground meal” comes from Old English melu, a word akin to Latin molere, “to grind” and molina, “mill.” The meal of “three meals a day,” however, is from Old English mæl or mēl, “measure, appointed time, meal time.”