🍽️ An eating time 🌾 Ground grain

meal

16 4.6

Grain ground into small pieces used for cooking or eating

noun
/mɪl/

: harina

Nothing better than a good home-cooked meal, huh?
corn meal
fish meal
soybean meal

It's not a whole meal base in that recipe.

Examples

Some days the amount of calories in each meal tops 1,000.

Super Size Me (2004)
And that happens to be the best meal in a hundred miles.

Fly Me to the Moon (2024)
Our Father in heaven, for this meal you have given, we want to say thank you.

Sparkle (2012)
--A hearty meal for the hungry bird who lived to hunt another day.

Stoker (2013)
Our host, who insisted on paying for the meal, an exorbitant $100, said volunteer work had changed his life.

Academic text (2015)
Baines is throwing the scraps of his meal to his dog; he does not look up.

Fiction book (1993)
Well, he's gonna get the best home-cooked meal he's had... in a long time.

Superman III (1983)
Villagers are employed to serve meals and refreshments or to offer pilgrims lodgings.

Academic text (1990)
For dinner, we enjoyed a delicious meal made from fresh ingredients.
Eating a balanced meal is important for maintaining good health.

Synonyms

grits

vsmeal

39 8.1

A hot breakfast made from ground corn that is boiled

is the uncooked coarse ground grain used as an ingredient

cornmeal

vsmeal

12 2.3

Ground dried corn used in cooking and baking

covers coarse grinding of many cereals or seeds, not only maize

soybean meal

vsmeal

1 3.0

A coarse powder made by grinding soybeans used to feed animals or add protein to food

is grain-focused and mainly from cereal grasses rather than legumes

matzo meal

vsmeal

1 6.7

A coarse flour from ground dry flat bread used in Jewish cooking like for matzo balls

is the raw coarse ground grain form rather than a bread product

Indian meal

vsmeal

Archaic

1 8.0

Corn ground into coarse pieces that people use for food

is the broader term for coarse grain from various cereals

matzah meal

vsmeal

1 7.4

A coarse flour made by grinding matzah, the flat Jewish bread eaten at Passover

is the simple ground grain form without religious or festive links

samp

vsmeal

Archaic

1 8.9

A thick boiled corn dish like porridge eaten as a side or breakfast

is the basic coarse ground grain product before cooking or processing

mealing

vsmeal

Archaic

9.6

Powder made from grain used for food and animal feed

is the general coarse ground cereal or pulse used in cooking

whole meal flour

vsmeal

3.5

Powder made by grinding whole wheat grain including the bran

is coarsely ground cereal or seed, not specifically whole wheat flour

Idioms

to make a meal of

Informal

2 8.3

Act as if something is much more difficult or important than it is

Compounds

meal ticket

Informal

7 5.8

A job, person, or thing that gives you regular money

gourmet meal

7 4.9

A meal made with very good ingredients and careful cooking

meal ticket

6 3.8

A ticket that lets you get a meal at a restaurant or cafeteria

holiday meal

5 1.1

A special food people prepare and eat for a holiday celebration

square meal

4 2.2

A full, filling meal that gives enough energy and nutrition

warm meal

3 1.0

Hot food that makes you feel warm and comfortable

hearty meal

3 1.6

A large filling meal that makes you feel full and warm

meal plan

3 2.9

An arrangement where a hotel includes meals each day with the room price

heavy meal

2 1.9

A large amount of food that makes you feel very full

barium meal

Specialized

2 5.1

A test where you swallow barium so doctors can X-ray your stomach and food pipe

Chinese meal

1 1.3

A meal of Chinese dishes like rice, vegetables, and meat

fish meal

Specialized

1 3.5

A ground, dried fish product used as fertilizer or animal feed

meal prep

1 3.3

Preparing meals ahead of time for the week to save time and eat healthier

blood meal

Specialized

1 6.1

A powder made from dried animal blood used to help plants grow or feed animals

soybean meal

1 3.0

A coarse powder made by grinding soybeans used to feed animals or add protein to food

matzo meal

1 6.7

A coarse flour from ground dry flat bread used in Jewish cooking like for matzo balls

Indian meal

Archaic

1 8.0

Corn ground into coarse pieces that people use for food

matzoh meal

1 8.2

A coarse flour made by grinding matzos used in Jewish cooking during Passover

oil meal

Specialized

1 4.6

The ground leftover from seeds after oil is removed, used mainly as animal feed or plant food

matzah meal

1 7.4

A coarse flour made by grinding matzah, the flat Jewish bread eaten at Passover

Ethiopian meal

1 4.0

A shared meal of Ethiopian dishes like injera and spiced stews

quickie meal

Informal

1 3.6

A quick, simple meal you make and eat when short on time

goloptious meal

Informal

9.9

A very tasty meal that people enjoy

hearty square meal

2.6

A large filling meal that gives you energy

jim-dandy meal

Archaic

9.9

An excellent meal that tastes very good

struggle meal

Informal

8.1

A cheap, simple meal you eat when you have little money

whole meal flour

3.5

Powder made by grinding whole wheat grain including the bran

How Coarse

whole grain

21 2.7

cracked wheat

1 2.2

meal

16 4.6

semolina

1 4.7

flour

183 1.0

Surface Forms

meal singular

meals plural

Etymology

Meal (ground grain) comes from an old word meaning 'to grind' and is related to the word mill, the place that grinds grain. So meal is the grain left after it has been ground.