Supper Meaning
/ˈsʌpə/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounFood consumed before going to bed.
nounAn optional light meal consumed shortly before going to bed.
Sentence Examples
You should apologize to Dad for not coming home in time for supper.
I've already had my supper.
I don't eat supper because I want to lose some weight.
CEFR Practice Quiz
After working late, he came home and ate a quick ____ before going to bed.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We had a late ____ of grilled fish and fresh salad after we arrived back from our long beach walk today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English soper, from Old French soper, from sope (“soup”). Compare French souper.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"There he stood, with admirable patience, […] longing to go to rest for hours past; aware that suppers disagreed with him […] so tired and longing for bed!"
— 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 46, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
"Roisin the savior paraded into the front room with three fish suppers, one sausage supper, one single fish, one single chips, a single sausage, a chicken and chips, and three curry and chips."
— 2014, Gerald Hansen, An Embarrassment of Riches:
"Horns in the night-season are heard a great way off, and in the winter-season were blown at every farmer’s house about eight at night when they suppered the horses and cows; […]"
— 1815, “Supplement to Volume LXXXV. Part I. […]”, in The Gentleman’s Magazine: and Historical Chronicle. […], London: […] [John] Nichols, Son, and [Samuel] Bentley, […], page 581, column 1:
"I went to supper up my horses, and heard somebody; […] After suppering the horses, I went into the house, and saw Stacey, who asked me if I had suppered the horses."
— 1828, John White, quotee, Trial of William Dyon, and His Son, John Dyon, for the Wilful Murder of Their Relative, Mr. John Dyon, […], Doncaster: Brooke & Co. […]; C. & J. White, […], page 15:
"Foreigners, and deaf-mutes especially, who are not familiar with what we call “good usage,” frequently fall into ludicrous mistakes in framing sentences out of the elements that have been given them. One writes: […] “My friend suppered me” instead of gave me supper. Such expressions are according to rule, and appear singular only because they have not come into general use."
— 1876 July, J[ohn] H[ancock] Pettingell, “English Verbs”, in Edward A[llen] Fay, editor, American Annals of the Deaf and Dumb, volume XXI, number 3, Washington, D.C.: […] Gibson Brothers, page 156:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
After working late, he came home and ate a quick ____ before going to bed.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We had a late ____ of grilled fish and fresh salad after we arrived back from our long beach walk today.