supper

[suhp-er]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR supper ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the evening meal, often the principal meal of the day.

any light evening meal, especially one taken late in the evening: an after-the-theater supper.

adjective

of or relating to supper: the supper dishes.

for, during, or including supper: a supper party.

Origin of supper

1225–75; Middle English sup(p)er < Old French souper, noun use of souper to sup¹

Related formssup·per·less, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for supper

fare, snack, picnic, dessert, feast, refreshment, dinner, tea, table, special, luncheon, lunch, breakfast, brunch, function, gathering, soiree, buffet, banquet, consume

Examples from the Web for supper

Contemporary Examples of supper

They were going to get the supper clubs and Vegas, just like Sam wanted.
How Martin Luther King Jr. Influenced Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’
Peter Guralnick
December 28, 2014
Served in lieu of morning pancakes or bread at supper, ployes are nothing if not versatile.
On the Canadian Border, It's Pancakes for Every Meal
Jane & Michael Stern
July 6, 2014
Other events include a Burns Night Supper on January 24, and a willow-weaving workshop in March.
Get Lessons From Kate's Florist At Charles's Home
January 10, 2014
Kane spoke to The Daily Beast about his Las Supper venture, posing semi-nude with Madonna, and his hometown of Brooklyn.
Big Daddy Kane: The Hip-Hop MC on Las Supper, Madonna, Jay-Z, and What’s Next
Curtis Stephen
April 16, 2013
After one ship's supper, Keith reflects that there were worse places to spend the war than the Caine.
David's Bookclub: The Caine Mutiny
David Frum
January 28, 2013

Historical Examples of supper

He made his way to the dining-room, where supper was under way.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
We did justice to the supper, as we had not had anything to eat for thirty-two hours.
Explorations in Australia
John Forrest
Only, my dear, do not disgrace my report when you come to supper.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
Does he believe, that the disgrace which I supper on his account, will give him a merit with me?
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
When Banstead took the chorus out to supper he had the ready repartee of his kind.
Viviette
William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for supper

supper

noun

an evening meal, esp a light one

an evening social event featuring a supper

sing for one's supper to obtain something by performing a service

verb

(tr) rare to give supper to

(intr) rare to eat supper

Derived Formssupperless, adjective

Word Origin for supper

C13: from Old French soper; see sup 1

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

Word Origin and History for supper

late 13c., "the last meal of the day," from Old French super "supper," noun use of super "to eat the evening meal," which is of Germanic origin (see sup (v.1)).

Formerly, the last of the three meals of the day (breakfast, dinner, and supper); now applied to the last substantial meal of the day when dinner is taken in the middle of the day, or to a late meal following an early evening dinner. Supper is usually a less formal meal than late dinner. [OED]

Applied since c.1300 to the last meal of Christ.

Idioms and Phrases with supper

supper

see sing for one's supper.