Supper

Supper is a meal eaten in the evening.

Some people use it for a big meal. Others use it for a small snack. In the UK, it is often a simple meal for the family.

Long ago, the main meal was at noon. People ate a light supper later that night. At big parties, supper was served very late.

In Scotland, a fish supper is a tasty meal. It has fish and thick chips. You can even have fried pizza!

Supper is a special time to eat together.

Supper is a meal eaten in the evening.

Its meaning can change. In the UK, it is often an informal family meal. This is different from a dinner party. A dinner party is a more formal meal with guests. Some people use the word for a light snack late at night.

Long ago, the main meal was called dinner. It was served at noon. People ate a light supper later that night. King Louis XIV ate dinner at noon. He had his supper at 10 pm. At big balls, supper was served very late. One ball in London served supper at 3:30 am!

In North America, the word is used in many ways. In Canada, some people call a harvest meal a supper. They might have a turkey supper or a pancake supper. In Scotland, people eat a fish supper. This is fish with thick chips. You can even have fried pizza for this meal.

Different places eat at different times. In Norway, people start eating at four in the afternoon. In Australia, they eat between five and seven in the evening.

Supper is a word for an evening meal. Its meaning can change depending on where you live. In the United Kingdom, people often use it for an informal family meal. This is different from a formal dinner party with guests. Some people use the word to mean a light snack late at night.

The word comes from many different places. It is related to the word for soup. In French, the word is "souper." This is used in Canada, Switzerland, and Belgium. It is also like the word "soppa" in Scandinavia. In German, the word for soup is "Suppe." In Catalan, the word for soup is "sopa." In that language, the word "sopar" means dinner.

Long ago, supper was a lighter meal. The main meal was called dinner. People used to eat dinner around noon. Over many centuries, dinner moved to later in the day. In the 17th century, King Louis XIV ate dinner at noon. He did not eat his supper until 10 pm.

Supper was sometimes served very late at big parties. At an English ball in 1791, guests ate supper at 1:00 am. They had already eaten dinner many hours before. A London ball in 1811 served supper even later. The Duchess of Bedford gave that ball. Supper there was served at 3:30 am.

Different cultures eat supper at different times. In Norway, people start eating around four in the afternoon. In Australia, people eat between five and seven in the evening. In Scotland, a "fish supper" is a meal of fish and thick chips. You can even have deep-fried pizza for this. In Canada, people have special community meals. They might have a turkey supper or a pancake supper.

Supper is a term used to describe an evening meal. Its meaning changes based on where a person lives and their social background. For many, it represents a main evening meal. For others, it describes a light snack eaten late at night. In the United Kingdom, the term often distinguishes an informal family meal from a formal dinner party. A dinner party is usually a grander event held with guests in a formal dining room. In contrast, supper might be eaten informally in a kitchen or a family dining room.

The word has deep roots in many languages. It is closely related to the word for soup. In Canadian, Swiss, and Belgian French, the word for this meal is "souper." This connection to soup is seen in other languages too. The Scandinavian words "soppa" or "suppe" are related. The German word "Suppe" and the Catalan word "sopa" also share this link. In Catalan, the verb "sopar" actually means to have dinner. However, some experts, including the Oxford English Dictionary, believe the original root "sup" is still obscure.

Historically, supper was often a secondary, lighter meal. For a long time, the main meal of the day was called dinner. In earlier centuries, dinner was served near midday. As time passed, dinner slowly moved to later in the day. This shift happened mostly during the 19th century. In the 17th century, the habits of elites showed this distinction clearly. King Louis XIV of France followed this pattern. He ate his dinner at noon and did not eat supper until 10 pm.

Supper was also a common feature of late-night social events. Even when dinner moved to the early evening, supper remained a late occurrence. At grand balls, supper might be served after the dancing ended. For example, at an English ball in 1791, supper was served to 140 guests at 1:00 am. These guests had eaten their main dinner many hours earlier. Some events were even later. In 1811, the Duchess of Bedford hosted a London ball. At her event, supper was served as late as 3:30 am.

Modern usage of the word often depends on social class or geography. In some working- and middle-class settings, supper refers to a late-evening snack. In South African English, supper is the main evening meal. In that region, "dinner" is reserved for more formal occasions. Different countries also have different schedules for eating. In Norway, it is customary to begin eating around 4:00 pm. In Australia, people typically eat between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

Regional traditions in North America provide many unique examples. In the American Midwest and South, the distinction between dinner and supper was common in farming communities until the 20th century. Today, most Americans use the words as synonyms. They often prefer the word "dinner" for the evening meal. However, in parts of Canada, the terms have specific meanings. In Saskatchewan and much of Atlantic Canada, "supper" is the main meal in the late afternoon. In those areas, "dinner" is the meal served around noon.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, "dinner" describes the noon meal or special celebrations. These might include a "Thanksgiving dinner" or a "Christmas dinner." In these places, the evening meal is called supper. Other communities use the word for specific social gatherings. In Canada, churches often host "fowl suppers" with turkey or "pancake suppers." In New England, especially Maine, "bean suppers" featuring baked beans are a tradition. In Scotland, a "fish supper" is a specific dish. This meal consists of fish served with thick-cut chips, though it can also include deep-fried pizza.