breakfast

American  

[brek-fuhst] / ˈbrɛk fəst /

noun

breakfasts plural

1. the first meal of the day; morning meal.

   A hearty breakfast was served at 7 a.m.

2. the food eaten at the first meal of the day.

   a breakfast of bacon and eggs.

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verb (used without object)

breakfasts, present (3rd person singular) breakfasted, past participle, past breakfasting present participle

1. to eat breakfast.

   He breakfasted on bacon and eggs.

verb (used with object)

breakfasts, present (3rd person singular) breakfasted, past participle, past breakfasting present participle

1. to supply with breakfast.

   We breakfasted the author in the finest restaurant.

breakfast British  

/ ˈbrɛkfəst /

noun

1. 1. the first meal of the day

   2. ( as modifier )

      breakfast cereal

      a breakfast room

2. the food at this meal

3. (in the Caribbean) a midday meal

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verb

1. to eat or supply with breakfast

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• breakfaster
  noun
• breakfastless
  adjective
• postbreakfast
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• breakfasts
  plural

Participles

• breakfasting
  present
• breakfasted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• breakfast
  simple
• breakfasts
  simple
• have breakfasted
  perfect
• has breakfasted
  perfect
• are breakfasting
  progressive
• am breakfasting
  progressive
• is breakfasting
  progressive
• have been breakfasting
  perfect progressive
• has been breakfasting
  perfect progressive

Past

• breakfasted
  simple
• had breakfasted
  perfect
• was breakfasting
  progressive
• were breakfasting
  progressive
• had been breakfasting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will breakfast
  simple
• will have breakfasted
  perfect
• will be breakfasting
  progressive
• will have been breakfasting
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

The main perks: bigger rooms and free breakfast.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

After finishing nine holes, the men enjoy breakfast burritos.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

Incoming breakfast host Cox wrote: "18 years, incredible, such a pro."

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

I'm not sure if we were predicting him to be "doing cartwheels down at breakfast".

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026

We had said good-bye after breakfast and if part of me was disappointed that he still had not proposed, another part of me was content just to be beside him.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• brunch