Lunchtime
nounThe time in the middle of the day when the midday meal is usually eaten.
How to spell lunchtime
9 letters · 2 syllables
How to pronounce lunchtime
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does lunchtime mean?
- nounThe time in the middle of the day when the midday meal is usually eaten.
Lunchtime in a sentence
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The cafe gets busiest right around lunchtime.
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She scheduled the meeting after lunchtime so nobody would be hungry.
Where does lunchtime come from?
Language of origin: Germanic
This is a transparent English compound formed from 'lunch' and 'time', both well established words in their own right. The first element, 'lunch', is a shortening of 'luncheon', whose own origin is murky but may relate to an older word 'nuncheon', a light midday refreshment, and possibly to 'lunch' meaning a hunk or thick piece of food in the 1500s. The second element, 'time', is a thoroughly native Germanic word from Old English 'tima', meaning a period or season. The compound 'lunchtime' came together in the 1800s as the midday meal became a fixed part of the working day, simply naming the hour at which that meal is taken. Because both halves are common and spelled exactly as they sound, the only real point to remember is that it is written as one solid word.
How the word is built
- lunch (midday meal)
- time (period)
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