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Synonyms

dinner

American  
[din-er] / ˈdɪn ər /

noun

  1. the main meal of the day, eaten in the evening or at midday.

  2. a formal meal in honor of some person or occasion.

  3. table d'hôte.

dinner British  
/ ˈdɪnə /

noun

  1. a meal taken in the evening

  2. a meal taken at midday, esp when it is the main meal of the day; lunch

    1. a formal evening meal, as of a club, society, etc

    2. a public banquet in honour of someone or something

  4. a complete meal at a fixed price in a restaurant; table d'hôte

  5. (modifier) of, relating to, or used at dinner

    dinner plate

    dinner table

    dinner hour

  6. informal (usually passive) to do for, overpower, or outdo

"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

Other Word Forms

  • dinnerless adjective
  • predinner noun

Etymology

Origin of dinner

1250–1300; Middle English diner < Old French disner (noun use of v.); dine

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.