supper

/ˈsʌpər/

/ˈsʌpə/

Other forms: suppers

Supper, which is also known as dinner, is usually the third daily meal you eat. Many families try to sit down and eat supper together at the end of the day.

First comes breakfast, then lunch, and then finally, in the evening, it's time for supper. The word supper is less common today than dinner, although North Americans generally consider the words to be synonyms. Until the early 20th century, the meal we now generally refer to as lunch was called dinner, while the evening meal was supper. It comes from the Old French soper, "to eat the evening meal."

Definitions of supper

1. noun

   a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
   types:

   Passover supper, Seder

   (Judaism) the ceremonial dinner on the first night (or both nights) of Passover

   Last Supper, Lord's Supper

   the traditional Passover supper of Jesus with his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion

   type of:

   meal, repast

   the food served and eaten at one time
2. noun

   a social gathering where a light evening meal is served
   “her suppers often included celebrities”

   type of:

   social affair, social gathering

   a gathering for the purpose of promoting fellowship