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Glite Dictionary
holiday meal

holiday meal

4 1.1
A special food people prepare and eat for a holiday celebration
  • noun
translation icon : comida festiva
  • She prepared a special holiday meal to celebrate the arrival of her relatives for Thanksgiving.
  • a big holiday meal
  • a traditional holiday meal
  • enjoy a holiday meal

Pete's eaten a holiday meal in the fucking chow hall, bro.

Examples

  • Here are some tips for making preparations for your holiday meal.

    Blog text (9)

  • Our family always looks forward to the delicious turkey and stuffing served during our traditional holiday meal.

  • Or maybe you enjoy your holiday meal at a favorite restaurant.

    Blog text (14)

  • Each family that applied for the program will also receive a food box to help with their holiday meal.

    Blog text (27)

  • Your family may sit around a large table, enjoying a holiday meal together.

    Blog text (14)

  • Well, it provides recipes for a simple, stress-free holiday meal.

    Blog text (8)

  • Thanks to local businesses, the plans are in the works to bring food for holiday meals and toys to our deserving families!

    Blog text (23)

  • Let them pick some of their favorites for the holiday meal and cookie trays.

    Blog text (24)

  • The ornate dining table was set for a sumptuous holiday meal fit for a king or an Indian chief.

    Blog text (12)

  • Cookbook author Katie Workman says pulling off the holiday meal boils down to simplifying, delegating, and letting the supermarket do some of the work.

    Blog text (25)

Synonyms

meal
vsholiday meal
∞ 1.0

A time when people eat, for example breakfast or dinner

is specially prepared for festive celebrations rather than regular eating times
feast
vsholiday meal
162 1.9

A large special meal with many foods for a celebration

is prepared specifically for seasonal or festive celebrations
banquet
vsholiday meal
  • Formal
114 3.9

A large formal meal for many people to celebrate a special event

is for festive celebrations and often more informal or family oriented
repast
vsholiday meal
6 9.1

A meal of food served and eaten at one time

is prepared for festive occasions rather than ordinary eating times

How Festive

feast
162 1.9
banquet
  • Formal
114 3.9
holiday meal
4 1.1
family dinner
32 1.0
meal
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

holiday meal singular
holiday meals plural

Morphology

holiday + meal

The meaning 'a meal prepared and eaten as part of a holiday' is directly derivable from combining 'holiday' (a designated festive day) with 'meal' (an eating event). This is a literal, compositional phrase following common noun+noun patterns found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.

Etymology

The phrase holiday meal comes from the simple picture of a special meal made for a holiday, with family gathered at a big table and old recipes saved for that day. So, it means 'a meal prepared and eaten as part of a celebration'.