snack
pronunciation
How to pronounce snack in British English:
UK [snæk]
How to pronounce snack in American English:
US [snæk]
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- Noun:
- a light informal meal
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- Verb:
- eat a snack; eat lightly
Word Origin
- snack
- snack: [15] Snack originally meant ‘bite’ (‘The … Tuscan hound … with his wide chafts [jaws] at him makes a snack’, Gavin Douglas, Æneid 1513). It was not used for a ‘quick meal’ (as in ‘have a bite to eat’) until the 18th century. It was borrowed from Middle Dutch snac or snack ‘bite’, which was closely related to snappen ‘seize’, source of English snap [15]. From snappen was derived the noun snaps ‘gulp, mouthful’, which was borrowed by German as schnapps ‘gin-like drink’, source of English schnapps [19]. And English snatch [13] is probably closely related to snack.=> schnapps, snap, snatch
- snack (v.)
- c. 1300, "to bite or snap" (of a dog), probably from Middle Dutch or Flemish snacken "to snatch, snap; chatter," which Watkins traces to a hypothetical Germanic imitative root *snu- forming words having to do with the nose (see snout). The meaning "have a mere bite or morsel, eat a light meal" is first attested 1807. Related: Snacked; snacking.
- snack (n.)
- c. 1400, "a snatch or snap" (especially that of a dog), from snack (v.). Later "a snappish remark" (1550s); "a share, portion, part" (1680s; hence old expression go snacks "share, divide; have a share in"). Main modern meaning "a bite or morsel to eat hastily" is attested from 1757. Snack bar is attested from 1923. Commercial plural form snax attested from 1942 in the vending machine trade.
Example
- 1. More charming are the village snack stalls along country roads .
- 2. Asked one pundit , referring to a sugary waffle snack .
- 3. Keeps my daughter busy and even , becomes a snack while she waits for her food .
- 4. A registered dietitian can give you lots of other snack and menu ideas .
- 5. Nothing makes a snack quite as simple and elegant as cheese with fruit .