Dictionary

luncheon en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈlʌn.tʃən/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Of uncertain origin. Possibly derived from an earlier *lumpchin, *lumpchen, a diminutive of lump (“chunk, parcel of food, lunch”), thus related to lunch. It is unclear which came first: whether lunch is a shortening of luncheon, or whether luncheon is an augmentation of lunch. Possibly also a dissimilatory form of or influenced by nuncheon (“light snack taken in the afternoon”). Noun sense 2 (“sausage”) is likely a ellipsis of luncheon sausage or luncheon meat.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A formal meal served in the middle of the day.
   • Most people thought the food at the luncheon was mediocre.
   • Superintendent Chalmers: Well, Seymour, I made it — despite your directions. Principal Skinner: Ahhh, Superintendent Chalmers! Welcome! I hope you're prepared for an unforgettable luncheon. 1996 April 14, Bill Oakley, “22 Short Films About Springfield” (00:03 from the start), in The Simpsons, season 7, episode 21, spoken by Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner (Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer), segment "Skinner & The Superintendent", production code 3F18:
   • Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety. She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 2, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
2. (New-Zealand, countable, uncountable) A large, cheap, processed sausage served in thin slices.
   • Filled Roll (x2) 1x luncheon, tomato, lettuce, and mayonnaise / 1x cheese and onion 2014 June 3, John Pratt, Anna Eriksson, “Understanding differences in punishment”, in Contrasts in Punishment: An Explanation of Anglophone Excess and Nordic Exceptionalism, Taylor & Francis, →ISBN, page 31:
   • Ian bought the luncheon since it was on special.
3. (countable, dated, uncountable) Any midday meal; lunch.
   • "Have you had luncheon?" 1931, Carolyn Keene [Mildred Wirt Benson], The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories), 2 edition, volume 4, New York: Grosset & Dunlap, page 4:
4. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A lump of food.
5. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A portion of food taken at any time except at a regular meal; an informal or light repast.
   • At twilight in the summer there is never anybody to fear—man, woman, or cat—in the chambers and at that hour the mice come out. They do not eat parchment or foolscap or red tape, but they eat the luncheon crumbs. 1892, Walter Besant, chapter II, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

luncheon truncheon · luncheon voucher · luncheon bar · luncheonless · preluncheon · luncheonette · bruncheon · luncheoner · luncheon meat · luncheonware · luncheon cart · luncheon plate · luncheon sausage

Descendants

loinsiún · لانشون

Relateds

nuncheon

Synonyms

devon · polony · Belgium · fritz

Translations (8)

ms jamuan tengah hari (formal meal served in the middle of the day — see also lunch) · pt almoço (formal meal served in the middle of the day — see also lunch) · cs oběd (formal meal served in the middle of the day — see also lunch) · ru обед (formal meal served in the middle of the day — see also lunch) · fi lauantaimakkara (processed sausage served in thin slices) · cmn 午宴 (formal meal served in the middle of the day — see also lunch) · cmn 工作午餐 (formal meal served in the middle of the day — see also lunch) · fi lounastilaisuus (formal meal served in the middle of the day — see also lunch)

luncheon en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈlʌn.tʃən/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Of uncertain origin. Possibly derived from an earlier *lumpchin, *lumpchen, a diminutive of lump (“chunk, parcel of food, lunch”), thus related to lunch. It is unclear which came first: whether lunch is a shortening of luncheon, or whether luncheon is an augmentation of lunch. Possibly also a dissimilatory form of or influenced by nuncheon (“light snack taken in the afternoon”). Noun sense 2 (“sausage”) is likely a ellipsis of luncheon sausage or luncheon meat.

Meanings

1. (dated, intransitive) To eat luncheon.
   • In the meantime, while ladies are luncheoning on chicken pie, or coursing in whirling britskas, performing all the singular ceremonies of a London morning in the heart of the season[…] 1844, Benjamin Disraeli, Coningsby:
2. (rare, transitive) To serve luncheon to.
   • This gentleman was presented by Colonel C. E. S. Wood, and was entertained here—wined, dined, tead, breakfasted, coffeed and luncheoned—and we bought his pictures. 1909, The Public, page 109:
   • To soften him up, a group of his fellows luncheoned him at the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles. 1947 February 21, Norman F. Carroll, “[Class Notes] 09”, in Princeton Alumni Weekly, volume 47, number 19, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, page 15, column 3:
   • […] entertained him at the Bohemian Club; Edward D. Kneass, Jr., ’18, extended to him the greeting of the San Francisco Press Club; and Frank J. Taylor, ’18, luncheoned him at the Honolulu Club. 1936, The Stanford Illustrated Review, volume 38, number 13, page 23, column 1:
   • The Legal Department's Richard Colby went off to other pastures, so early this month his associates luncheoned him at Rosoff's, and in the tradition of the profession, all remarks were off the record. 1963, Paramount World, volume 9, page 22:
   • A number of friends of Mrs. H. M. Richey, wife of H. M., luncheoned her on Thursday at the Warden Hotel. 1939 February 4, “Detroit”, in Boxoffice, volume 34, number 11, Associated Publications, page 102, column 2:
   • We won’t try to lie to you for, bro-ther! until that recent noon when Don Fernando Carlés, Number 1 at National City Bank in Buenos Aires, luncheoned us at this fantastic Jockey Club—and invitations to this fantastic block-square brownstone Mansion in Calle Florída are nothing to view lightly—we could take our sting-rays or leave ’em alone. 1951, Charles H[enry] Baker, Jr., The South American Gentleman’s Companion: Being an Exotic Cookery Book; Or, Up & Down the Andes with Knife, Fork & Spoon, New York, N.Y.: Crown Publishers, Inc., page 66:
   • There must have been a chip of the blarney stone in the Irish stew the pretty stewardess luncheoned us with, for one quipped. 1966 September 7, Geo. H. Carver, “Sports Slices”, in The Intelligencer, Belleville, Ont., page 13:
   • Towns welcomed us in our hundreds; M.P.’s luncheoned us, manufacturers turned out their warehouses, decorated them and feasted us; private families tea’d us on their lawns, but we were so true to our art that we always returned to—“papers!” 1896 May 1, H. P. Robinson, “Digressions. V.—The Convention.”, in The British Journal of Photography, volume XLIII, number 1878, London: Henry Greenwood & Co., […], page 277, column 1:
   • Mrs. Harry (Sybil) Brand farewell-luncheoned her New York friends Monday (21), before taking off for Paris with John Haskell, representing TWA, on month’s vacation, first time over. 1949 February 23, “Broadway”, in Variety, volume 173, number 11, New York, N.Y., page 54, column 2:

Forms

Relateds

dejeuner · tiffin · lunch

Translations (2)

fi lounastaa (to eat luncheon — see also lunch) · fi tarjota lounas (to serve luncheon — see also lunch)