Anteprandial

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Pertaining to the interval preceding a meal, often in reference to customs or health-related practices that take place before eating
2. Associated with the time frame before a meal, particularly concerning social rituals or health activities that occur in preparation for dining
3. Relating to activities or customs occurring before a meal, especially those focused on health or social practices in anticipation of dining

Etymology: "Anteprandial" is a blend of two Latin-derived elements, and its parts are older than the word itself. The first, "ante-", is the Latin preposition meaning "before," which English has borrowed freely for centuries, and it traces back to an ancient root shared with words for "front" and "forward." The second element, "prandial," comes from the Latin "prandium," meaning a midday meal or luncheon, and it is the same base found in "prandial" on its own, meaning relating to a meal. Put together, "anteprandial" is a plain, technical-sounding compound meaning "before a meal." It is the kind of word that a writer might coin when describing the time before lunch or dinner, such as a drink taken before eating, and it reads as more formal than its everyday equivalents. Its construction follows a familiar English pattern: a Latin prefix attached to a Latin-based adjective, with no folk story or famous coiner behind it.

Synonyms: pre-meal, before dinner