supper
pronunciation
How to pronounce supper in British English:
UK [ˈsʌpə(r)]
How to pronounce supper in American English:
US [ˈsʌpər]
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- Noun:
- a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
- a social gathering where a light evening meal is served
Word Origin
- supper
- supper: [13] Supper started life as a verb. It was borrowed from Old French super, which was a noun use of the verb super ‘eat one’s evening meal’ (source of English sup ‘have supper’ [13]). This in turn was formed from the Germanic base *sup-, which also produced English sip, sop, and sup [OE] and Latin *suppāre ‘soak’ (source of English soup).=> sip, sop, soup, sup
- supper (n.)
- mid-13c., soper, "the last meal of the day," from Old French soper "evening meal," noun use of infinitive soper "to eat the evening meal," which is of Germanic origin (see sup (v.1)). Formerly, the last of the three meals of the day (breakfast, dinner, and supper); now applied to the last substantial meal of the day when dinner is taken in the middle of the day, or to a late meal following an early evening dinner. Supper is usually a less formal meal than late dinner. [OED] Applied since c. 1300 to the last meal of Christ.
Example
- 1. She found the kitchen empty , and no supper on the table .
- 2. My dad was going to cook them for supper .
- 3. I quite understand why your wife might not want to be dragged out to supper with your boss .
- 4. This is the intriguing , and at times frustrating , world of secret supper clubs .
- 5. He knew at the last supper that he would be hanging on a cross within a few hours .