dinnertime
See also: dinner-time and dinner time
English
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Noun
editdinnertime (countable and uncountable, plural dinnertimes)
- The time when dinner takes place, as:
- Synonyms: dinner hour, dining time
- 1846, Charles Elmé Francatelli, The Modern Cook, page 243:
- An hour before dinnertime, steam the mazarine in the usual way, and when done, turn it out of the mould on its dish […]
- 2004, Vince Staten, Why Is The Foul Pole Fair?, page 204:
- By the thirteenth century mustard was a staple of Paris saucemakers, who peddled the product on the street every evening around dinnertime.
- (now chiefly British) The midday mealtime as the main one: lunchtime.
- The evening mealtime as the main one: suppertime.
Usage notes
editThe usage varies between eras and regions, because the circadian rhythm of meals varies by culture. Dated references to dinner, dinnertime, and the dinner pail cannot be assumed to refer to an evening meal; for example, what some U.S. factory workers in the past called their dinner pail was what would today be called a lunchpail or lunchbox.
Hypernyms
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edittime when dinner takes place
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mid-day break — see lunchtime