meal
UK: miːl | US: miːl
n. an occasion when food is eaten, such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner
n. the food served or eaten during such an occasion
n. (archaic) a customary time or occasion for eating
The word "meal" traces back to Old English melu, meaning "ground grain" (related to the verb mylen, "to grind"). Over time, it expanded to refer to the food made from ground grain (e.g., flour) and later generalized to any regular occasion of eating. The semantic shift reflects the centrality of grain-based dishes in historical diets.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
She prepared a delicious meal for her family.
The hotel offers complimentary meals to guests.
In medieval times, a meal often consisted of bread and ale.
He skipped his midday meal to finish the project.