breakfast

[brek-fuhst]

noun

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.

verb (used without object)

1. to eat breakfast.

   He breakfasted on bacon and eggs.

verb (used with object)

1. to supply with breakfast.

   We breakfasted the author in the finest restaurant.

breakfast

/ 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

verb

1. to eat or supply with breakfast

Other Word Forms

• breakfaster noun
• breakfastless adjective
• postbreakfast adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of breakfast¹

First recorded in 1425–75, breakfast is from the late Middle English word brekfast. See break, fast ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of breakfast¹

C15: from _break + _fast ²

Example Sentences

While her fellow inmates were confined to their dormitories after breakfast, Maxwell met with several visitors in the federal prison camp’s chapel, according to people familiar with the matter.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Some of my children were like ‘Um, you don’t cook me breakfast like that every morning,” Missy says.

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While she’s eating breakfast, she usually gets to watch an episode of something.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Pacific Time, explaining that she wanted to have breakfast with her newborn twins.

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"I don't think there's ever been a reality show on television with a line-up like this," commented BBC Radio 2 breakfast host Scott Mills on Wednesday morning.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• brunch