meal
1[ meel ]
/ mil /
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noun
the food served and eaten especially at one of the customary, regular occasions for taking food during the day, as breakfast, lunch, or supper.
one of these regular occasions or times for eating food.
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Origin of meal
1before 900; Middle English; Old English mǣl measure, fixed time, occasion, meal; cognate with German Mal time, Mahl meal, Old Norse māl,Gothic mēl time, hour
OTHER WORDS FROM meal
mealless, adjectiveOther definitions for meal (2 of 3)
meal2
[ meel ]
/ mil /
noun
a coarse, unsifted powder ground from the edible seeds of any grain: wheat meal; cornmeal.
any ground or powdery substance, as of nuts or seeds, resembling this.
Origin of meal
2before 900; Middle English mele,Old English melu; cognate with German Mehl,Dutch meel,Old Norse mjǫl; akin to Gothic malan,Latin molere to grind. See mill1
OTHER WORDS FROM meal
mealless, adjectiveOther definitions for meal (3 of 3)
-meal
a native English combining form, now unproductive, denoting a fixed measure at a time: piecemeal.
Origin of -meal
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use meal in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for meal (1 of 2)
meal1
/ (miːl) /
noun
- any of the regular occasions, such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc, when food is served and eaten
- (in combination)mealtime Related adjective: prandial
the food served and eaten
make a meal of informal to perform (a task) with unnecessarily great effort
Word Origin for meal
Old English mǣl measure, set time, meal; related to Old High German māl mealtime
British Dictionary definitions for meal (2 of 2)
meal2
/ (miːl) /
noun
the edible part of a grain or pulse (excluding wheat) ground to a coarse powder, used chiefly as animal food
Scot oatmeal
mainly US maize flour
Derived forms of meal
meal-less, adjectiveWord Origin for meal
Old English melu; compare Dutch meel, Old High German melo, Old Norse mjöl
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for meal (1 of 2)
meal 22
[ mēl ]
n.
The food served and eaten in one sitting.
A customary time or occasion of eating food.
Medical definitions for meal (2 of 2)
meal 11
[ mēl ]
n.
The edible whole or coarsely ground grains of a cereal grass.
A granular substance produced by grinding.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Other Idioms and Phrases with meal
meal
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.