supper noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and

A main meal eaten in the evening is usually called dinner, especially if it is a formal meal. Supper is also an evening meal, but more informal than dinner and ... Togglenavigation Redeem Upgrade Help Signin Dictionaries Dictionarieshome English AmericanEnglish Academic Collocations German-English Grammar Grammarhome PracticalEnglishUsage Learn&PractiseGrammar(Beta) WordLists WordListshome MyWordLists Topics Recentadditions Resources Resourceshome TextChecker Signin Dictionaries Dictionarieshome English AmericanEnglish Academic Collocations German-English Grammar Grammarhome PracticalEnglishUsage Learn&PractiseGrammar(Beta) WordLists WordListshome MyWordLists Topics Recentadditions Resources Resourceshome TextChecker Redeem Upgrade Help TOP English English AmericanEnglish AcademicEnglish Collocations PracticalEnglishUsage German-English English-German English AmericanEnglish Entersearchtext DefinitionofsuppernounfromtheOxfordAdvancedLearner'sDictionary suppernoun /ˈsʌpə(r)/ /ˈsʌpər/[uncountable,countable] jumptootherresults thelastmealoftheday,eitheramainmeal,usuallysmallerandlessformalthandinner,orasnackeatenbeforeyougotobedI'lldomyhomeworkaftersupper.What'sforsupper?We'llhaveanearlysuppertonight.comparetea(6)MoreAboutmealsmealsPeopleusethewordsdinner,lunch,supperandteaindifferentwaysdependingonwhichEnglish-speakingcountrytheycomefrom.InBritainitmayalsodependonwhichpartofthecountryorwhichsocialclassapersoncomesfrom.Amealeateninthemiddleofthedayisusuallycalledlunch.IfitisthemainmealofthedayitmayalsobecalleddinnerinBritishEnglish,especiallyinthenorthofthecountryandinschools:Imakesuremykidshaveahotschooldinner,notjustapackedlunch.Amainmealeatenintheeveningisusuallycalleddinner,especiallyifitisaformalmeal.Supperisalsoaneveningmeal,butmoreinformalthandinnerandusuallyeatenathome.Itcanalsobealatemealorsomethingtoeatanddrinkbeforegoingtobed.InBritishEnglish,teaisalightmealintheafternoonwithsandwiches,cakes,etc.andacupoftea:acreamtea.Itcanalsobeamainmealeatenearlyintheevening,especiallybychildren:Whattimedothekidshavetheirtea?Asageneralrule,ifdinneristhewordsomeoneusesforthemealinthemiddleoftheday,theyprobablycallthemealintheeveningteaorsupper.Iftheycallthemealinthemiddleofthedaylunch,theyprobablycallthemealintheeveningdinner.Brunch,acombinationofbreakfastandlunch,isbecomingmorecommon,especiallyasamealwhereyourguestsservethemselves.CulturemealsmealsAmericansandBritishpeoplegenerallyeatthreemealsadaythoughthenamesvaryaccordingtopeople'slifestylesandwheretheylive.Thefirstmealofthedayisbreakfast.ThetraditionalfullEnglishbreakfastservedinmanyBritishhotelsmayincludefruitjuice,cereal(=afoodmadefromprocessedgrainsandeatenwithmilk),baconandeggs,oftenwithsausagesandtomatoes,toast(=slicesofbreadcookeduntiltheyturnbrown)andmarmalade(=jammadewithorangesandsimilarfruit),andteaorcoffee.Fewpeoplehavetimetoprepareacookedbreakfastathomeandmosthaveonlycerealand/​ortoastwithteaorcoffee.Othersbuycoffeeandapastryontheirwaytowork.ThetraditionalAmericanbreakfastincludeseggs,somekindofmeatandtoast.Eggsmaybefried,‘overeasy’,‘overhard’or‘sunnysideup’,orboiled,poached,scrambledorinanomelette(=beatentogetherandfried).Themeatmaybebaconorsausage.Peoplewhodonothavetimeforalargemealhavetoastorcerealandcoffee.ItiscommonforAmericanstoeatbreakfastinarestaurant.OnSaturdayandSundaymanypeopleeatbrunchlateinthemorning.Thisconsistsofbothbreakfastandlunchdishes,includingpancakesandwaffles(=typesofcookedbatter)thatareeatenwithbutterandmaplesyrup(=asweet,stickysauceproducedfromatypeofmapletree).Lunch,whichiseatenanytimeaftermidday,isthemainmealofthedayforsomeBritishpeople,thoughpeopleoutatworkmayhaveonlysandwiches.Somepeoplealsorefertothemiddaymealasdinner.Mostworkersareallowedaboutanhouroffworkforit,calledthelunchhour.Manyschoolsofferacookedlunch(schoollunchorschooldinner),thoughsomestudentstakeapackedlunchofsandwiches,fruit,etc.Sundaylunchisspecialandis,formanyfamilies,thebiggestmealoftheweek,consistingtraditionallyofroastmeatandvegetablesandasweetcourse.IntheUSlunchisusuallyaquickmeal,eatenaroundmidday.Manyworkershaveahalf-hourbreakforlunch,andbuyasandwichfromneartheirplaceofwork.Businesspeoplemaysometimeseatalargerlunchandusethetimetodiscussbusiness.Themainmealofthedayformostpeopleistheeveningmeal,calledsupper,teaordinner.Itisusuallyacookedmealwithmeatorfishorasalad,followedbyasweetcourse.InBritainyoungerchildrenmayhaveteawhentheygethomefromschool.Tea,meaningamainmealforadults,isthewordusedinsomepartsofBritain,especiallywhentheeveningmealiseatenearly.Dinnersoundsmoreformalthansupper,andguestsgenerallyreceiveinvitationsto‘dinner’ratherthanto‘supper’.IntheUStheeveningmealiscalleddinnerandisusuallyeatenaround6or6.30p.m.Inmanyfamilies,bothinBritainandintheUS,familymemberseatatdifferenttimesandrarelysitdownatthetabletogether.Manypeoplealsoeatsnacksbetweenmeals.Mosthaveteaorcoffeeinthemiddleofthemorning,oftencalledacoffeebreak.InBritaininthepastthiswassometimesalsocalledelevenses.IntheafternoonmanyBritishpeoplehaveateabreak.Somehotelsandcafesserveafternoonteawhichconsistsofteaorcoffeeandachoiceofsandwichesandcakes.Whenonholidaypeoplesometimeshaveacreamteaofscones,jamandcream.Inadditionmanypeopleeatchocolatebars,biscuits(NAmEcookies)orcrisps(NAmEchips).SomeBritishpeoplehaveasnack,sometimescalledsupper,consistingofamilkdrinkandabiscuitbeforetheygotobed.IntheUSchildrenoftenhavemilkandcookiesafterschool.ExtraExamplesTheyinvitedmeoverforabitofsupper.Let'stalkaboutitoversupper.Itcanalsobeeatenasasupperdishwithasalad.Nellclearedthesuppertable.Therewasalwaysaharvestsupperforthefarmworkersafterthehayandwheathadbeencut.There'llbeapotlucksupperSundaynightatthechurch.TopicsCookingandeatingb2OxfordCollocationsDictionaryadjectivelightcoldhot…supper+noundishtablephrasesabitofsupperSeefullentryWordOriginMiddleEnglish:fromOldFrenchsuper‘tosup’(usedasanoun),ofGermanicorigin. Questionsaboutgrammarandvocabulary? FindtheanswerswithPracticalEnglishUsageonline,yourindispensableguidetoproblemsinEnglish. Joinus JoinourcommunitytoaccessthelatestlanguagelearningandassessmenttipsfromOxfordUniversityPress! Definitionsonthego Lookupanywordinthedictionaryoffline,anytime,anywherewiththeOxfordAdvancedLearner’sDictionaryapp. Wanttolearnmore? FindoutwhichwordsworktogetherandproducemorenaturalsoundingEnglishwiththeOxfordCollocationsDictionaryapp. SeesupperintheOxfordAdvancedAmericanDictionaryCheckpronunciation: supper Nearbywords supineadjective supinelyadverb suppernoun supplantverb suppleadjective conifer noun     FromtheTopic Plantsandtrees C2 OxfordLearner'sDictionariesWordoftheDay