Mealtime

/ˈmiːlˌtaɪm/ noun

Definition

The regular time of day when people eat a meal together, such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Etymology

Compound of 'meal' (from Old English 'mæl' meaning a fixed time) and 'time.' The word reflects the importance of scheduled eating in daily life.

Kelly Says

Before clocks and schedules, 'mealtime' was when the church bells rang—families didn't eat 'at 6 PM' but 'at mealtime,' showing how food structured society before modern timekeeping!

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