lunch
/lʌntʃ/
noun
Origin
Spanish
lonja — a slice of meat or ham
Overview
Meaning Now
- A meal eaten in the middle of the day, typically lighter than dinner.
Literal older meaning
a thick piece or 'hunk' of food
Language path
Old Spanish → English
Earliest form
luncheon
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The word likely evolved from earlier terms like 'nuncheon' (a meal served at noon). It was influenced by the Spanish 'lonja', implying a slice or hunk of food, which was then adapted into northern English dialects before entering general use.
Evolution
- 16th century
nuncheon
“a light midday meal”
Possibly from 'noon' + 'schench' (drink).
- 16th century
luncheon
“a thick piece or slab of food”
Emerging from dialectal northern English.
- 19th century
lunch
“midday meal”
Shortened form became the standard term.
Connections
Word parts
lunch
root
a thick piece of food
Related across languages
Spanish
lonja
slice or slab
Explore next
Related to lunch
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.