meal

¹

[ meel ]

noun

1. the food served and eaten especially at one of the customary, regular occasions for taking food during the day, as breakfast, lunch, or supper.
2. one of these regular occasions or times for eating food.

meal

²

[ meel ]

noun

1. a coarse, unsifted powder ground from the edible seeds of any grain:

   wheat meal;

   cornmeal.

2. any ground or powdery substance, as of nuts or seeds, resembling this.

-meal

³

1. a native English combining form, now unproductive, denoting a fixed measure at a time:

   piecemeal.

meal

¹

/ miːl /

noun

1. the edible part of a grain or pulse (excluding wheat) ground to a coarse powder, used chiefly as animal food
2. oatmeal
3. maize flour

meal

²

/ miːl /

noun

1. 1. any of the regular occasions, such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc, when food is served and eaten
   2. ( in combination ) prandial

      mealtime

2. the food served and eaten
3. make a meal of informal.
   make a meal of to perform (a task) with unnecessarily great effort

Derived Forms

• ˈmeal-less, adjective

Other Words From

• mealless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of meal¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English mǣl “measure, fixed time, occasion”; cognate with German Mal “time,” Mahl “meal,” Old Norse māl, Gothic mēl “time, hour”

Origin of meal²

First recorded before 900; Middle English mele, Old English melu; cognate with German Mehl, Dutch meel, Old Norse mjǫl, Gothic malan; akin to Latin molere “to grind” ( mill ¹ )

Origin of meal³

Middle English -mele, Old English -mǣlum, combining form representing mǣl meal ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of meal¹

Old English melu; compare Dutch meel, Old High German melo, Old Norse mjöl

Origin of meal²

Old English mǣl measure, set time, meal; related to Old High German māl mealtime

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with meal ; also see square meal .

Example Sentences

Iceberg wilts quickly, so it’s not a great for anything but a meal you plan to eat right away.

From Outside Online

These texts included invitations for this person and her children to come to my home to share a meal, which she politely declined.

From ProPublica

Instead of waking them up, a carbohydrate-loaded meal makes mice sleepy.

From Science News For Students

The researchers believe the ichthyosaur most likely hunted, rather than scavenged, its meal.

From Science News

Searchers are looking for contactless payment and delivery from restaurants and meal providers.

From Search Engine Watch

Yet we keep doing the cleanses, buying the meal replacement bars, and joining Weight Watchers.

From The Daily Beast

Like any exciting meal, Food will leave you smiling and satisfied.

From The Daily Beast

In the mid-afternoon, Ramos and Liu were parked on Tomkins Avenue on a meal break.

From The Daily Beast

What better way to bring up a serious issue without commandeering the meal?

From The Daily Beast

He refused to dine with people, because he did not like being agitated during meal times.

From The Daily Beast

Individual samples may be slightly alkaline, especially after a full meal.

From Project Gutenberg

Following the boys, Baptiste entered by the kitchen door to encounter the mother and three daughters preparing the meal.

From Project Gutenberg

She smiled a smile after this that was one of satisfaction, and at that moment her sisters called that the meal was ready.

From Project Gutenberg

In my house there has never been sufficient food for a solid meal, and I have not land enough even for an insect to rest upon.

From Project Gutenberg

He was still at breakfast, and advancing slowly in the meal, like a gentleman whose breakfast was his greatest care in life.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• breakfast
• brunch
• dessert
• dinner
• fare
• feast
• lunch
• luncheon
• picnic
• refreshment
• snack
• supper
• table
• tea