What does lunchtime mean?
Lunchtime names the time of day when lunch is eaten, usually around midday. It commonly refers either to the customary hour at which people take their midday meal or to the period itself, particularly a break in work or school. The word is used in both British and American English, though it often implies a pause in the working day more strongly in British usage. Expressions such as “at lunchtime” and “during lunchtime” are routine, while “lunchtime meal” can identify food prepared or eaten at that time. Lunchtime is related to lunch but should not be confused with “lunch break,” which may refer more specifically to an individual break in a person’s schedule. The word is useful when discussing daily routines, school and workplace schedules, or the social rhythms of midday.
nounThe period of the day when people stop work or school to have lunch, especially the time around midday. It may also refer to the customary hour at which lunch is eaten.
- The period of the day during which lunch is eaten, especially around midday.
- The customary time for eating lunch, considered as a daily event or division of the day.
"The office is quiet at lunchtime, so she uses the time to read in the garden."
"We met across the road from the school at lunchtime."
"The café gets busiest at lunchtime, when office workers arrive with sandwiches."
The plural is uncommon because the word usually refers to a habitual daily period, but it can distinguish separate occasions.
"The café serves customers at several lunchtimes throughout the week."
Lunchtime is more than a meal: in many workplaces and schools, it is the small mid-day pause that structures the entire day.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lunchtime come from?
Lunchtime was formed in the 19th century by combining “lunch” with “time.” “Lunch” itself derives from the Middle English word “lunche,” which may have been influenced by the Spanish “lonja,” meaning a storehouse or provisions shop, through the phrase “a lunche” for a midday snack. The English meaning developed into a midday meal before the compound “lunchtime” became established.
How lunchtime is actually used
Lunchtime is common in both British and American English. In British usage it can also suggest the period when many people leave school or work for lunch; in American usage it is especially common for the midday meal break in a workplace or school.
Easily confused with lunchtime
Lunchtime usually names the period or customary time for eating lunch, whereas lunch break may refer to a specific break in work or school or to the meal eaten during it.