A large, formal meal for many people, often to celebrate a special event or honor someone. It usually includes several courses and careful arrangements.
It comes from French “banquet,” originally meaning a little bench or table, then a light meal served on such tables. The idea expanded into a full, grand feast.
A banquet began as a “bench-meal,” something served on small side tables. Over centuries, the word grew fancier than the furniture, turning into the name for some of the most luxurious meals people share.
Banquets have historically reflected gendered divisions of labor and status: men often appeared as honored guests and speakers, while women's work in planning, cooking, and serving was made invisible or treated as domestic duty. Seating and speaking roles at formal banquets have also mirrored gender hierarchies.
When organizing or describing a banquet, avoid assuming hosts, speakers, or honored guests are male, and recognize the labor of all genders in preparation. Use gender‑neutral language for roles and avoid segregating participants by gender unless explicitly relevant and consensual.
["formal meal","reception","feast"]
Women have long coordinated and catered banquets for political, religious, and community events, shaping public life and fundraising while often being credited only informally, if at all.
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