What does predinner mean?
A predinner is a drink or small snack enjoyed before dinner. It is a distinctly social expression, commonly referring to the aperitif, cocktails, or light refreshments people have before a meal at a restaurant, at a party, or while visiting friends. The word often implies a modest interval between arrival and the evening meal, but it can also introduce a more elaborate gathering involving drinks and snacks. “Pre-dinner” is widely used as an alternative spelling, especially in the established phrase “pre-dinner drinks.” Although most closely associated with British English, the expression is understood elsewhere and is also common in international business and hospitality contexts. It is more specific than the general word “snack” because its timing is important: what makes it a predinner is that it comes before dinner. The term is informal and slightly social in tone rather than strictly culinary or medical.
nounAn informal drink or small snack taken before dinner.
- A drink or small snack consumed before the main evening meal.
"We stayed for a quick predinner before the restaurant reservation."
"I only had a predinner, so I was still hungry when dinner arrived."
"The hosts served champagne and canapés as a formal predinner."
Usually countable when referring to a drink, snack, or social gathering before dinner.
"The office held a few predinners before the annual dinner."
A predinner turns a routine meal into an occasion: even a quick drink beforehand can signal that an evening out is about to begin.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does predinner come from?
Predinner is a modern English compound formed by adding the prefix “pre-” to “dinner.” Its second element comes through Old French from Latin “dīnare,” “to dine,” associated with “cena,” the Latin word for dinner. The prefixed form developed in the context of social drinking and light refreshment before an evening meal.
How predinner is actually used
The term is informal and chiefly associated with British usage. It is often spelled hyphenated as “pre-dinner,” and in its attributive form it commonly appears in the phrase “pre-dinner drinks.”