dinner
Americannoun
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the main meal of the day, eaten in the evening or at midday.
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a formal meal in honor of some person or occasion.
noun
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a meal taken in the evening
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a meal taken at midday, esp when it is the main meal of the day; lunch
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a formal evening meal, as of a club, society, etc
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a public banquet in honour of someone or something
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a complete meal at a fixed price in a restaurant; table d'hôte
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(modifier) of, relating to, or used at dinner
dinner plate
dinner table
dinner hour
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informal (usually passive) to do for, overpower, or outdo
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of dinner
1250–1300; Middle English diner < Old French disner (noun use of v.); see dine
Explanation
Dinner — also called supper — is the third meal of the day. It's the main meal, the one families often try to have together at the end of the day. If you skipped breakfast and lunch, then you probably can't wait for dinner: you must be starving! Dinner has always been the main meal, but it used to be served in the middle of the day and supper was last. Now that dinner is in the evening, too, supper and dinner are almost the same thing in the United States — you might go to a dinner in honor of someone, but not a supper, which wouldn't be as fancy.
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.
See Examples For:
Perry’s Steakhouse Dinner Size Pork Chops are fully cooked and only need to be thawed and warmed through; add a big, fresh salad and baked potatoes, and dinner is served.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
In the fall of 2022, the governor of Texas went to dinner in Houston with a half-dozen friends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
Macron hosted a dinner in Ramaphosa's honour on Friday evening at the Elysee Palace following their talks, attended by families of heroes of the anti-apartheid struggle.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
After that, it's the women's turn to pick the man for their dinner date.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
I led her to the back, where Ma and the boys were already eating dinner with Mr. Lew.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
At the risk of giving you indigestion, LFS Wealth Advisors in Lenexa, Kan., warns investors such as yourself about the hidden cost of free dinners.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
Na has splurged on concert tickets, fancy clothes and dinners for her parents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Similar services are spreading across Chinese cities and tourist destinations: paid partners for running, sightseeing, shopping, hospital visits, hot pot dinners, and weekend walks.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
Apple showcased how AI can be used to point at a receipt and split bills at group dinners or events.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
We went on real dates, going for what we considered upscale dinners at Red Lobster and to the movies.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
