luncheon

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a midday meal

Etymology

From earlier lunching, of uncertain origin. Possibly derived from an earlier *lumpchin, *lumpchen, a diminutive of lump (“chunk, parcel of food, lunch”), thus related to lunch, q.v. It is unclear which came first: whether lunch is a shortening of luncheon, or whether luncheon is an augmentation of lunch. Possibly influenced by nuncheon (“light snack taken in the afternoon”). The "sausage" sense is probably a shortening of luncheon sausage or luncheon meat.

In classic literature

Synonyms

lunch, tiffin, dejeuner

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