breakfast English · revision 4412

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1463}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈbrek.fəst/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound of [[break]] and [[fast]] “abstinence from food”,^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998)^(MWU 2024) formed from the verb phrase breken faste, “to end one's fast of the night”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) recorded before 1393 in Gower's Confessio Amantis.^(Barnhart 1988) The short vowel of break in the compound is the common pattern of a long vowel in the simple word but a short one as the first part of a compound, as in Christ and Christmas, holy and holiday.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first meal of the day: breffast in 1463 in the OED and Barnhart,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) brekefaste in 1472.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old English had no special word in its glossaries for the first meal.^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline gives undernmete and morgenmete, a morning meal.^(Etymonline) Some scholars have suggested that the verb phrase was modelled on French déjeuner, but Barnhart thinks this unlikely, since the phrase already existed in English.^(Barnhart 1988) A meal ending a fast at any time of day is from 1526,^(OED 1989) and a wedding breakfast from 1848.^(OED 1989) The verb, to eat breakfast, is from 1679,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) and to provide with breakfast from 1793.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Etymonline notes that words for breakfast tend in time to move toward “lunch”, as Spanish almuerzo did.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a. 1393 – ''breken faste''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1463 – the morning meal.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1526 – any meal ending a fast.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1679 – verb, to eat breakfast.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1793 – to provide with breakfast.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1848 – a wedding breakfast.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The first [[meal]] of the day, usually eaten in the morning.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The [[food]] eaten at this meal.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To eat breakfast.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To give breakfast to.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[breakfaster]]

+ * [[breakfastless]]

+ * [[postbreakfast]]

+ * [[brunch]]

+ * [[bed-and-breakfast]]

+ * [[continental breakfast]]

+ * [[English breakfast]]

+ * [[dog's breakfast]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[break]]

+ * [[fast]]

+ * [[dinner]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}