What does brunch mean?
Brunch is a noun referring to a meal eaten in the late morning that merges elements of breakfast and lunch, typically served between about ten o'clock and midday. The word is a blend of 'breakfast' and 'lunch', first appearing in English in the late nineteenth century, and it has since become firmly established across British and American usage. Brunch carries strong social connotations: it suggests leisure, indulgence, and sociability, often associated with weekends, holidays, and special occasions such as weddings or celebrations. Typical brunch fare ranges from eggs, pancakes, and pastries to more substantial lunch-style dishes, and it is frequently accompanied by coffee, mimosas, or other drinks. Restaurants and hotels commonly market dedicated brunch menus or buffets, and the meal has become a cultural institution in many cities. As a word, brunch is informal but entirely standard, widely understood, and useful for describing this distinctive hybrid meal.
nounA meal eaten in the late morning that combines breakfast and lunch, typically served from late morning to early afternoon.
- A meal eaten in the late morning combining breakfast and lunch dishes.
"We lingered over brunch at the corner café until well past noon."
"The hotel offers a lavish brunch buffet every Sunday morning."
"After the wedding rehearsal, we all met for a casual brunch downtown."
Rarely used; 'brunch' is normally uncountable. The plural appears mainly when counting distinct occasions.
"The café has hosted countless Sunday brunches over the years."
The word 'brunch' was coined in the 1890s as a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch — making it one of the earliest and most successful blends in English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of brunch
Brunch is a portmanteau — a blend word — combining 'breakfast' and 'lunch', first attested in English in the 1890s. It is usually credited to the British writer Guy Beringer, whose 1895 essay 'Brunch: A Plea' argued for a lighter Sunday meal in place of a heavy post-church dinner. The term spread quickly in Britain and America and became especially popular in the United States during the twentieth century, where it evolved into a distinctive dining tradition. Its component parts trace back through Middle English: 'breakfast' from breaking one's overnight fast, and 'lunch', likely a shortened form of 'luncheon'.
How brunch is actually used
Informal to neutral register; strongly associated with leisurely weekend socialising, especially on Sundays. Often connotes a relaxed, indulgent occasion rather than an everyday meal.
Easily confused with brunch
Lunch is a midday meal typically eaten around noon or later, whereas brunch combines breakfast and lunch and is eaten in the late morning.