1
: an act or the time of eating a portion of food to satisfy appetite
2
: the portion of food eaten at a meal
1
: the usually coarsely ground and unbolted seeds of a cereal grass or pulse
especially
: cornmeal
2
: a product resembling seed meal especially in particle size or texture
-meal
3 of 3adverb combining form
: by a (specified) portion or measure at a time
piecemeal
Synonyms
Examples of meal in a Sentence
Noun (1)
all she wants to do is sit quietly after the large Thanksgiving meal
Recent Examples on the Web
Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
Above that is the Bib Gourmand designation, which represents restaurants offering great meals at good values.
—Matthew Odam, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
The nonprofit has now delivered more than 70,000,000 meals and hopes to end hunger among older New York City adults by 2040.
—David Graver, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2024
In addition to serving as an Operation Christmas Child drop-off location, the church has distributed supplies to those in need and served over 40,000 meals to local residents and volunteers.
—Jasmine Baehr, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for meal 
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Noun
Next to those meals in the kitchen, however, is dinner for the next day, when Srisatta will begin a week of ultraprocessed meals that are energy-dense and hyperpalatable.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
Above that is the Bib Gourmand designation, which represents restaurants offering great meals at good values.
—Matthew Odam, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
The nonprofit has now delivered more than 70,000,000 meals and hopes to end hunger among older New York City adults by 2040.
—David Graver, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2024
In addition to serving as an Operation Christmas Child drop-off location, the church has distributed supplies to those in need and served over 40,000 meals to local residents and volunteers.
—Jasmine Baehr, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for meal
Dictionary Entries Near meal
Cite this Entry
“Meal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meal. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
meal
1 of 2 noun1
: the food eaten or prepared for eating at one time
2
: the act or time of eating a meal
meal
2 of 2 noun1
: ground seeds of a cereal grass
especially
: cornmeal
2
: something like meal especially in texture
Etymology
Noun
Old English mæl "appointed time, meal"
Noun
Old English melu "ground grain"
Medical Definition
meal
noun
: the portion of food taken at one time to satisfy appetite
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