breakfast

noun

break·​fast ˈbrek-fəst How to pronounce breakfast (audio)
1
: the first meal of the day especially when taken in the morning
2
: the food prepared for a breakfast
eat your breakfast
breakfast verb
breakfaster noun

Examples of breakfast in a Sentence

I had pancakes for breakfast. Did you have breakfast before you left?
Recent Examples on the Web Kathy Goldman, who devoted her career as a civic leader to establishing food banks, pantries and free breakfast and lunch programs in public schools to sustain low-income New Yorkers, died on March 5 in Brooklyn. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 The MiMo Caracas is a busy, bustling sit-down breakfast and lunch spot, tucked away in an unassuming strip mall next to a Doggi’s Arepa Bar. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 Even for me, whose greatest culinary achievement is making scrambled eggs for breakfast, the steps were easy to follow. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 The menu will include breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dessert options. Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024 Folsom’s Big Apple Bagels is at 711 East Bidwell St. According to Yelp, the bagel shop is open for breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024 Make sure to grab a Margarita Donut or some other crazy confection from The Donut Experiment for breakfast. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2024 The kitchen and breakfast areas are kitted out with high-gloss white and timber cabinets, marble countertops, and stone flooring. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2024 The top 4 yogurt companies control 75% of sales and the top 3 cereal companies control 90% of your crunchy breakfast options. Errol Schweizer, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'breakfast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English brekfast, from the phrase breken fast "to break one's fast, end abstinence from food"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of breakfast was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near breakfast

Cite this Entry

“Breakfast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breakfast. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

breakfast

noun
break·​fast ˈbrek-fəst How to pronounce breakfast (audio)
: the first meal of the day
breakfast verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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