supper
Americannoun
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the evening meal, often the principal meal of the day.
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any light evening meal, especially one taken late in the evening.
an after-the-theater supper.
adjective
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of or relating to supper.
the supper dishes.
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for, during, or including supper.
a supper party.
noun
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an evening meal, esp a light one
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an evening social event featuring a supper
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to obtain something by performing a service
verb
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rare (tr) to give supper to
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rare (intr) to eat supper
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of supper
1225–75; Middle English sup ( p ) er < Old French souper, noun use of souper to sup 2
Explanation
Supper, which is also known as dinner, is usually the third daily meal you eat. Many families try to sit down and eat supper together at the end of the day. First comes breakfast, then lunch, and then finally, in the evening, it's time for supper. The word supper is less common today than dinner, although North Americans generally consider the words to be synonyms. Until the early 20th century, the meal we now generally refer to as lunch was called dinner, while the evening meal was supper. It comes from the Old French soper, "to eat the evening meal."
Vocabulary lists containing supper
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.
“Sing for your supper and you’ll get breakfast, songbirds always eat,” the lyrics go, before offering a crucial caveat: “If their song is sweet to hear.”
From Salon • May 15, 2026
After gathering at the supper table to dine and talk about their days, parents and children moved into the den to be entertained by the novel contraptions.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
"The restaurant we went up to last night for supper, they were all talking about it."
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
"I'm finally able to say, 'No, sorry, I'm tired and I'm going to have an early night. Have whatever you want for supper; Daddy is here.'"
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
Eventually, though, Markie’s friends got called home for supper and I was looking down at one grubby kid with a limp balloon trailing behind him.
From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen
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.
