Nuncheon

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A light meal or snack, often taken in the afternoon before the main meal
2. A serving of food or drink, particularly during a break in daily activity
3. A casual repast enjoyed in the company of others, typically in between regular meal times

Etymology: Nuncheon began life as a drink rather than a snack. In Middle English it appeared in forms like "nonshench" and "noneschench", combining "none", meaning noon, with "shench", a word for a draught or cup. The second element comes from a verb meaning to pour out or serve, which also gave us "skink", a server who pours drinks. So the original sense was a noon draught, a cup of something taken in the middle of the day. Over time the sense shifted from the drink to the light refreshment that came with it, and the meaning drifted toward the afternoon. The word's history also shows how a single syllable can stand in for a whole meal: "none" (noon) and "schenche" (a drinking cup) were ordinary words that fused into a term for a midday or afternoon pick-me-up.

Synonyms: snack, refreshment, light meal