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
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
Daniel Combs, Verywell Health, 16 May 2025
For much of human history, there was no guarantee as to when our next meal would arrive, so our biological systems are designed to seek out the sweetest and most energy-dense foods.
—Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
However, this June, that counter in Bakersfield is reopening, serving hot meals again, after renovations by husband-and-wife owners Emily and Sherod Waite, who have installed images of historical sit-ins above the luncheonette, as well as landmark pieces by artists of color from the 1930s to today.
—Katya Cengel, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
Every Southerner knows that there's no better meal to eat than one that's come off the grill.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for meal
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Noun
Counting carbs and meal timing: Treatment will also include learning how to count carbohydrates and timing meals for proper insulin dosages.
—Daniel Combs, Verywell Health, 16 May 2025
For much of human history, there was no guarantee as to when our next meal would arrive, so our biological systems are designed to seek out the sweetest and most energy-dense foods.
—Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
However, this June, that counter in Bakersfield is reopening, serving hot meals again, after renovations by husband-and-wife owners Emily and Sherod Waite, who have installed images of historical sit-ins above the luncheonette, as well as landmark pieces by artists of color from the 1930s to today.
—Katya Cengel, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
Every Southerner knows that there's no better meal to eat than one that's come off the grill.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for meal
Cite this Entry
“Meal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meal. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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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