"lunch" in seven languages
Meaninglunch
Spanish
/koˈmida/
fem.other source · comer 'to eat' ← Latin COMEDERE 'to eat up'
Almuerzo is the usual word in much of Latin America.
French
/deʒœne/
masc.other source · déjeuner 'to break one's fast' ← spoken Latin *DISJĒJŪNĀRE
In Québec, Belgium and Switzerland, déjeuner is breakfast and lunch is le dîner.
Italian
/ˈprandzo/
masc.other source · Latin PRANDIUM 'late breakfast, midday meal'
Portuguese
/awˈmosu/
masc.other source · almoçar, from spoken Latin *ADMORDIĀRE 'to take a bite'
Romanian
/prɨnz/
neut.other source · Latin PRANDIUM 'midday meal'
The same Latin word as Italian pranzo, inherited on both sides.
Catalan
/diˈna/
masc.other source · dinar 'to have lunch', from spoken Latin *DISJĒJŪNĀRE 'to break one's fast'
The same verb as French déjeuner, worn down further.
English
/lʌntʃ/
other source · origin uncertain; related to luncheon
The story
Three different ideas: Spanish says 'the eating', French 'un-fasting', Italian keeps the Latin meal name PRANDIUM. English dinner comes from the same spoken Latin verb as French déjeuner.
English relatives: dinner (from the same verb as déjeuner), comestible (Spanish comida)
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In a sentence
- esLa comida es a la una.
- frLe déjeuner est à une heure.
- itIl pranzo è all'una.
- ptO almoço é à uma.
- roPrânzul e la ora unu.
- caEl dinar és a la una.
- enLunch is at one.