dinnertime
B1Neutral to informal; common in everyday speech, less common in formal writing.
Definition
Meaning
The time of day when the main meal (dinner) is typically eaten.
Can refer to a specific scheduled time for eating, a period of social/family gathering around a meal, or metaphorically to a period of activity or consumption.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The meaning is heavily dependent on regional and social definitions of 'dinner' (which can be the midday or evening meal). It is a compound noun where the primary stress typically falls on the first syllable.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'dinner' can refer to the main meal eaten at midday (especially in schools, or traditionally) or in the evening. Thus, 'dinnertime' is variable. In the US, 'dinner' almost exclusively refers to the evening meal, making 'dinnertime' synonymous with 'supper time'.
Connotations
UK: Can have formal (evening dinner) or institutional (school dinner) connotations. US: Strongly associated with family evening meal and domestic routine.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to the fixed evening meaning. In the UK, 'lunchtime' or 'teatime' might be used for clarity.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It is [dinnertime].[Dinnertime] is at [seven].We eat [at dinnertime].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A wolf at the dinnertime door (rare, implying a threat or intruder at a vulnerable moment).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in scheduling ('Let's avoid meetings around dinnertime.') or hospitality contexts.
Academic
Very rare, except in sociological or anthropological studies of family routines.
Everyday
Very common for discussing daily schedules, family plans, and routines.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The dinnertime rush was chaotic.
- We have a strict dinnertime rule.
American English
- The dinnertime traffic is terrible.
- He has a regular dinnertime routine.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Dinnertime is at six o'clock.
- The children are hungry at dinnertime.
- Please be home by dinnertime.
- What are we having for dinnertime?
- Our dinnertime has become later since we started working from home.
- He scheduled the call for 5 PM, right in the middle of my dinnertime.
- The study highlighted the decline of the traditional family dinnertime in urban societies.
- Negotiating dinnertime with teenagers who have conflicting extracurricular schedules can be a challenge.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
DINNER + TIME = The TIME for DINNER. Think of a clock face pointing to 6 or 7 pm (or 12 pm in some places).
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE (allocated for dinner); DINNERTIME IS A CONTAINER (for family interaction, nourishment).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'время обеда' if referring to an evening meal, as 'обед' is typically midday. For evening, 'время ужина' is more accurate, but the concept of a fixed 'dinnertime' is less rigid in Russian culture.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'dinner time' as two words (standard is one word or hyphenated). Confusing it with 'lunchtime'. Using it in overly formal contexts.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a key factor in the meaning of 'dinnertime'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is most commonly written as one word ('dinnertime'), though the hyphenated form ('dinner-time') is also accepted. The two-word form is less standard.
There is no fixed time. It varies by country, region, family, and individual. In the US, it's typically between 6 and 8 PM. In the UK, it could be midday (e.g., school dinner) or evening.
In American English, they are often synonymous for the evening meal. In some regions or social groups, 'supper' is a lighter, later evening meal, so 'supper time' would be later. In the UK, 'supper' is usually a light late-evening snack.
Yes, it can function attributively as a noun modifier (a compound adjective), as in 'dinnertime conversation' or 'dinnertime routine'.