breakfast
Americannoun
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the first meal of the day; morning meal.
A hearty breakfast was served at 7 a.m.
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the food eaten at the first meal of the day.
a breakfast of bacon and eggs.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
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the first meal of the day
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( as modifier )
breakfast cereal
a breakfast room
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the food at this meal
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(in the Caribbean) a midday meal
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have breakfastedperfect
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has breakfastedperfect 3rd person singular
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are breakfastingprogressive
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is breakfastingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been breakfastingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am breakfastingprogressive 1st person singular
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breakfastssingular 3rd person
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have been breakfastingperfect progressive
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breakfastingparticiple
Past
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had breakfastedperfect
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were breakfastingprogressive plural
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was breakfastingprogressive singular
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breakfastedparticiple
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had been breakfastingperfect progressive
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breakfastedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of breakfast
First recorded in 1425–75, breakfast is from the late Middle English word brekfast. See break, fast 2
Explanation
Breakfast is the first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning. Eating a healthy breakfast may give you a boost of energy to start your day. The word breakfast comes from the idea of "breaking the fast" after a night of sleeping. A fast is a period of not eating. During sleep, the body goes without food for hours, so when you eat breakfast, you stop fasting and start eating again, restoring energy for the day ahead. Breakfast foods vary widely depending on culture and personal preference. Eggs, cereal, toast, pancakes, and fruit are commonly eaten for breakfast in some places. In other places, soup, salad, fish, and rice are preferred.
Vocabulary lists containing breakfast
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They lead storytime, serve breakfast on plastic plates and in sippy cups, lead music and movement activities, and handle tears and rambunctious behavior.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
Fujimori began her election day having breakfast in the Lima suburb of San Juan de Lurigancho, the most populous district in Peru, where impoverished neighbourhoods crowd the steep, dusty mountains.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Milei, a 55-year-old bachelor, says he does much of his posting during breakfast and lunch, as well as at night.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
He did, however, recently order potato-egg-and-cheese breakfast tacos—no meat, and no side order of calf blood for dippin’ either.
From Slate • May 30, 2026
“Some of us are going out for breakfast at the end of shift,” Helen continues, and then pauses to answer a call.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
