meal
A1Neutral
Definition
Meaning
An occasion when food is eaten at a regular time, such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The food consumed during such an occasion; also, coarsely ground grain or seeds.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word primarily refers to the eating event but can also be a mass noun for the food served.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The names of main meals differ; 'dinner' vs 'supper' distinctions vary more by region and class in the UK. 'Tea' as an evening meal is common in parts of the UK, whereas in the US it primarily means a beverage or a light afternoon snack.
Connotations
In both, 'meal' implies a more formal or complete eating event compared to a 'snack'.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have/eat [MEAL] for breakfast/lunch/dinnercook/make/prepare [MEAL] for [SOMEONE]serve [MEAL] at/in [PLACE/TIME][ADJECTIVE] mealVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “make a meal of something”
- “a meal ticket”
- “square meal”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In business hospitality: 'a business lunch', 'a working meal', 'to discuss over a meal'.
Academic
In anthropology/sociology: 'the social ritual of the meal', 'communal meals'.
Everyday
Planning and discussing daily eating routines.
Technical
In nutrition: 'balanced meal', 'meal replacement', 'meal frequency'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We'll meal together at the pub after work.
- The birds were meal-ing on the scattered seed.
American English
- The team meal-ed at the new diner.
- They meal on leftovers most weekends.
adjective
British English
- The meal break is at half twelve.
- They offer a meal deal with a drink and snack.
American English
- The meal plan is included in tuition.
- We have a meal schedule posted on the fridge.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I eat three meals every day.
- We had a nice meal at a restaurant.
- Breakfast is my favourite meal.
- Let's go out for a meal to celebrate.
- She prepared a simple meal of pasta and salad.
- The hotel price includes two meals a day.
- After the long hike, we were ready for a substantial meal.
- The business meeting continued over a working lunch.
- They believe that sharing a family meal is important for bonding.
- The chef's tasting menu presented a succession of exquisite miniature meals.
- Anthropologists study the meal as a fundamental social ritual.
- The grant provides a meal allowance for conference attendees.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of MEAT and MEAL - you eat MEAT during a MEAL.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEAL IS A GATHERING / MEAL IS FUEL
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'mill' (мельница). The Russian word 'еда' is more general, meaning 'food', not specifically an eating occasion. 'Приём пищи' is the closer equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'meal' for a single food item (e.g., 'This soup is a delicious meal' is okay, but 'This apple is my meal' is less typical). Confusing 'meal' (occasion) with 'flour' (the ground grain product).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT typically considered a main meal of the day?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily countable (e.g., 'three meals a day'). It can be uncountable when referring to coarsely ground grain (e.g., 'oatmeal').
'Food' is the general substance you eat. A 'meal' is a specific eating event or occasion when food is consumed, often consisting of multiple dishes.
Yes, a single substantial dish can be called a meal (e.g., 'That steak was a meal in itself'), but typically a meal implies a combination of items.
It means to spend more time or effort on a task than is necessary, or to treat something trivial as if it were very important.
Collections
Part of a collection
Food and Drink
A1 · 49 words · Common words for food, drink and meals.