dinner
dinner
Pronunciation
/ˈdɪnər/.
First Syllable (/dɪn/):
/d/: Voiced alveolar plosive
/ɪ/: Near-close near-front unrounded vowel
/n/: Voiced alveolar nasal
Second Syllable (/ər/):
/ər/: R-colored vowel (or "schwa + r"), a rhoticized mid-central vowel
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: dinner (e.g., "We had a delicious dinner.")
Plural Noun: dinners (e.g., "They hosted several formal dinners.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: The main meal of the day, typically eaten in the evening, often more substantial and formal than other meals.
Synonyms: supper, evening meal, banquet (for a very large, formal dinner), feast (for a celebratory, abundant dinner)
Antonyms: breakfast, lunch (referring to other specific meals)
Definition: A social event or gathering where a main meal is served, often to celebrate an occasion or for a specific purpose.
Synonyms: reception, repast (formal), gala (if very grand), soirée (if an evening gathering, often including dinner)
Antonyms: meeting (if no meal is served), casual get-together (if no formal meal is central)
Definition: The food itself prepared and consumed as the main evening meal.
Synonyms: fare, cuisine (referring to the style of food), spread (if abundant), provisions
Antonyms: scraps, leftovers (referring to what remains after a meal)
Attributive Noun (acting as an adjective)
While "dinner" itself isn't an adjective, it's very commonly used in an attributive way to modify other nouns. In these cases, it describes something related to the main meal.
Definition: Pertaining to or suitable for the main meal of the day, or an event where such a meal is served.
Examples: dinner plate, dinner jacket, dinner party, dinner time
Synonyms (context-dependent): evening (as in "evening wear"), formal (as in "formal attire"), supper-related
Antonyms (context-dependent): casual (as in "casual wear"), breakfast (as in "breakfast cereal"), lunch (as in "lunch break")
Examples of Use
Books:
"Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself. For Lucy had her work cut out for her. The doors would be taken off their hinges; Rumpelmayer's men were coming. And Clarissa, too, every now and then, though she was forty-six, felt that pressure of an engagement, the dinner, the whole thing, pressing on her, not a moral pressure, but something agreeable, suspenseful." (Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway, May 1925)
"He had been invited to a dinner party at the home of a prominent politician, an event he usually dreaded." (From a contemporary novel)
Newspapers:
"The President hosted a state dinner for the visiting dignitary, emphasizing bilateral ties." (Report from The New York Times)
"Local restaurants are offering special prix fixe menus for Valentine's Day dinner." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Our guide to quick weeknight dinners offers delicious solutions for busy families." (From Serious Eats)
"Experts debated the future of AI at a technology summit dinner in Davos." (TechCrunch)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (Title of a 1967 film)
Television Series: "Sheldon, it's dinner time!" (A common line heard in The Big Bang Theory, broadcast 2007-2019)
Music: "After the show it's the after party, and after the party it's the hotel lobby, and after the lobby it's us in the room about to get it on, and after that it's dinner at The Cheesecake Factory..." (Lyrics from "Ignition (Remix)" by R. Kelly, July 2002)
Podcasts: "This week, we discuss the etiquette of declining a dinner invitation gracefully." (From a popular podcast on social graces, May 2024)
General Public Discourse:
"What's for dinner tonight?" (Common question among family members)
"We're going out for dinner to celebrate their anniversary." (Informal conversation)
"I need to plan dinner for Friday evening." (Personal planning)
10 Quotes Using Dinner
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." (Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own) - Note: While the quote uses "dined," it's often associated with the act of having dinner.
"After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations." (Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance)
"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food." (W.C. Fields) - Often humorously attributed to the context of preparing dinner.
"Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are." (Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste) - Often related to the importance of what one consumes for dinner.
"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." (Charles M. Schulz) - Often applies to the simple pleasures, like a treat after dinner.
"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook." (Julia Child) - A playful jab at healthy eating, often in the context of a main meal like dinner.
"There is no love sincerer than the love of food." (George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman) - A general sentiment applicable to the enjoyment of dinner.
"First, we'll have dinner, then we'll see a play." (Common phrase, widely used in various contexts, no single famous attribution)
"I have a simple philosophy: Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. And scratch where it itches." (Alice Roosevelt Longworth) - Can be humorously applied to the satisfaction of a good dinner.
"Life itself is a dinner party." (Original quote)
Etymology
Let's break down where the word "dinner" comes from, in a way that's easy to understand.
Imagine going way back in time, to the days before English as we know it existed. The word "dinner" has its roots in Old French.
The core of "dinner" comes from an Old French word: "disner" (or sometimes "disnier"). This word meant "to break one's fast." Think of it like breaking the fast you've had since the previous night's meal.
So, the first known meaning of "disner" (and later "dinner" in English) wasn't necessarily the big evening meal we think of today. Instead, it referred to the first main meal of the day, typically eaten around midday. This was the meal that "broke the fast" from the long night.
This Old French word "disner" then made its way into Middle English around the 13th century (so, the 1200s). When it first appeared in English, it largely kept that original meaning of the midday meal.
Over time, habits changed. People started eating later in the day, and the midday meal became "lunch," while the main, often heavier meal shifted to the evening. Because "dinner" was always associated with the main meal, its meaning gradually shifted along with the mealtimes. So, the "dinner" that was once a midday meal eventually became the evening meal we know today, while still retaining its sense of being the most significant meal of the day.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Dinner
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "dinner," including some lesser-known or derived ones for variety:
Dinner party: A social gathering where guests are invited for dinner.
Dinner jacket: A formal jacket, typically worn for evening events.
Dinner time: The usual hour for eating the main evening meal.
To make a dinner of something: To eat something as one's main meal.
To throw a dinner: To host a dinner party.
Come to dinner: An invitation to eat dinner together.
What's for dinner?: A common question asking about the evening meal.
A dog's dinner: (British informal) A mess; something badly done.
Dinner and a show: A phrase describing an evening's entertainment that includes both a meal and a performance.
No free dinner: A variant of "There's no such thing as a free lunch," implying that nothing of value is truly free.
Last Supper: (Biblical reference, often used idiomatically) A final meal, especially one taken before a significant or tragic event.
To eat someone's supper: To outdo or defeat someone (using a synonym for dinner).
A square meal: A substantial and satisfying meal (often used in the context of dinner).
To break bread: To share a meal with someone, often implying fellowship or reconciliation.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of dinner from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
