dinner — the main meal of the day, typically eaten in the evening
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the main meal of the day, typically eaten in the evening
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈdɪnər/
Example Sentences
- My mom always calls at 6 PM sharp asking 'Did you have dinner?' even though I'm 30 years old.
- The dinner was so fancy that I was afraid to touch anything on the table.
- We should invite them over for dinner sometime this week.
dinner
NOUN[/ˈdɪnər/]
the main meal of the day, typically eaten in the evening

The family gathers around the table for a warm dinner together.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'dinner' derives from Old French 'disner', which originally meant 'breakfast' or 'to break a fast'. It stems from the Latin 'disjejunare' (dis- 'un' + jejunare 'to fast'), literally meaning 'to break one's fast'. Over time, the term evolved to denote the principal meal of the day, shifting its temporal reference as meal customs changed.
Breakdown
dis- (un-, away) + jejunare (to fast) → Old French 'disner' → English 'dinner'. The prefix dis- negates the action of fasting, with the suffix -er indicating the resulting action or meal.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My mom always calls at 6 PM sharp asking 'Did you have dinner?' even though I'm 30 years old.”
“The dinner was so fancy that I was afraid to touch anything on the table.”
“We should invite them over for dinner sometime this week.”
“After burning dinner three times, I finally ordered pizza.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.