meal
gb/mˈil/ us/mˈil/
A1
English
~ 1500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
event
1
an occasion when food is eaten
A time when you eat food, like breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Usage pattern:
to have [a/an] [meal]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'meal' with 'food'. 'Meal' is the event or occasion of eating, not the items themselves.
Synonyms
repast (More formal and less common; used mainly in written or literary contexts.)
|
dining (Refers more generally to the act of eating, often in a social or formal setting.)
Antonyms
fast (To deliberately not eat for a period of time, often for health or religious reasons.)
Collocations
eat a meal
|have a meal
|prepare a meal
|share a meal
|main meal
Themes
daily life
|food
|health
|daily_life
|food_drink
Examples
- We usually have our main meal in the evening.
- That was the best meal I've had all week.
- She cooked a delicious meal for her guests.
- Skipping meals can make you feel tired.
- They enjoyed a meal together at the new restaurant.
Learner examples
- I have three meals every day.
- Lunch is my favorite meal.
- We eat our evening meal at six o’clock.
- She made a big meal for her family.
Noun
B1
entity
2
powder from ground grain or seeds
Powder made from grains or seeds that people use to cook food.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'meal' with 'flour'. Meal can be coarser and not always wheat-based.
Synonyms
flour (Usually refers to finely ground grain, especially wheat; 'meal' can be coarser.)
Collocations
corn meal
|oat meal
|soy meal
Themes
food
|cooking
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- The recipe calls for two cups of corn meal.
- Oat meal is often used in baking cookies.
- Soy meal is an important ingredient in animal feed.
Learner examples
- Corn meal is yellow.
- We need meal to make bread.
- Oat meal can be used in cakes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
meal
IPA
GB/mˈil/
US/mˈil/
Syllables & stress
meal (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (meal)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: meal
- Plural: meal, meals
Word family
Expressions
make a meal of [something]
1/mˈeɪk ə mˈil əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
overcomplicate a simple task
To spend too much time or effort on something simple.
Examples
- He really made a meal of fixing that chair.
- Don't make a meal of it—just get it done.
meal ticket
1/mˈil tˈɪkɪt/
fixed phrase
voucher for a specific meal
A piece of paper or card you give to get a meal.
Examples
- Students must show their meal ticket at the cafeteria entrance.
- I bought a meal ticket before joining the lunch line.
square meal
1/skwˈɛɹ mˈil/
fixed phrase
a filling and balanced meal
A big and healthy meal that makes you full.
Examples
- After hiking all day, we were ready for a square meal.
- It's been ages since I had a real square meal.