What does suppering mean?
Supping means drinking a liquid in small amounts, usually slowly, as though taking successive sips. It is a present participle of the older verb sup, which is now chiefly encountered in literature, dialect, or deliberately traditional prose. The word has a quiet, old-fashioned quality that can suggest leisurely or refined drinking, though its precise meaning depends on context. Supping can also mean eating or taking supper, a less common usage that gives the verb a domestic, historical flavour. Unlike sip, which remains standard in everyday modern English, supping is uncommon in neutral conversation and is often chosen for its literary tone or regional character. In its drinking sense, the term appears in descriptions of people sharing wine, tea, or other beverages, while its culinary sense occurs in accounts of meals and evening gatherings. Although uncommon as an independent verb, supping remains immediately intelligible and can lend vividness to narrative or descriptive writing.
verbTo drink or sip a liquid, especially slowly or in small quantities. In a less common sense, it means to eat supper.
- To drink or sip a liquid, especially slowly or in small quantities.
- To eat or take supper.
"They spent the evening supping wine beside the fire."
"They sat by the window, supping hot coffee and reading the newspaper."
"We supped late after returning from the theatre."
A once-familiar word for taking a sip has become a quiet favorite in poetry and period prose.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does suppering come from?
The drinking sense of sup derives from Old English supan, meaning to drink or sip. The culinary sense belongs to a separate but homonymous verb connected with the history of supper, an Old French word derived from the Latin verb meaning to eat a meal in the evening.
Related word forms
How suppering is actually used
In modern English, supping is chiefly literary or regional. The sense meaning 'to eat supper' is less common than the older drinking sense.
Easily confused with suppering
Sipping is the usual modern word for taking small amounts of a liquid, whereas supping is now chiefly literary or dialectal.