snack

American  

[snak] / snæk /

noun

1. a small portion of food or drink or a light meal, especially one eaten between regular meals.

2. a share or portion.

3. Slang. a sexy and physically attractive person; hottie.

4. Australian Slang. something easily done.

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verb (used without object)

1. to have a snack or light meal, especially between regular meals.

   They snacked on tea and cake.

idioms

1. go snack / snacks, to share profits or returns.

snack British  

/ snæk /

noun

1. a light quick meal eaten between or in place of main meals

2. a sip or bite

3. rare a share

4. informal a very easy task

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verb

1. (intr) to eat a snack

Etymology

Origin of snack

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb snacchen, snac(c)he, snak “(of a dog) to snap at, bite, seize”; Middle English noun snacche, snak(e); further origin uncertain; compare Middle Dutch snacken “(of a dog) to snap”: Norwegian dialect snaka “(of an animal) to snatch”

Explanation

A snack is a small serving of food between meals. Enjoy a healthy snack such as apples with peanut butter, or indulge in a bag of chips. After a huge breakfast, you might just want a light snack instead of lunch. You can use snack as a verb too: "After school, I like to snack on fruit and cookies and listen to music." Snack originally meant "snap or bite" in Middle English, usually in the context of a dog's bite. The noun was also used in the 17th century to mean "a portion or share," which led to the now-obsolete phrase "go snacks," meaning "share with someone."

Example Sentences

Analysts touted a “stable forecast” for CVS’s pharmacy business, improving earnings for Target, “resilient cash generation” for Philip Morris, and Mondelez’s “defensive global snack exposure.”

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

To win back snackers, it launched its latest wave of price cuts to coincide with the Super Bowl on 8 February, one of the most lucrative days of the year for snack makers.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Rather than linger among the motor oil and snack aisles, she retreated to a nearby restaurant until her table was ready.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Popcorn became the go-to movie snack during the 1930s as theaters sought new revenue streams during the Great Depression, said film historian Ross Melnick, a professor at UC Santa Barbara.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Maybe a nice snack would help me get back to sleep—and get my mind away from thoughts of death.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Related Words

• lunch
• morsel
• refreshment
• tea