Tiffen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small light meal eaten around midday, particularly in India and other parts of South Asia ; to take such a light meal in the middle of the day
2. A modest lunch, often served in colonial or South Asian households ; the act of eating this light midday meal
3. A light repast taken at noon, traditionally common in British India ; to dine lightly in the middle of the day

Etymology: Before it named a meal, this word was a drinking term. English dialect used "tiff" for a sip or small draught of liquor, and "tiffing" meant taking such a sip, often between meals. The noun "tiffin" probably grew from that sense, pointing to a small quantity of refreshment rather than a full repast. In British India, the term was applied to a light midday snack or lunch, and Anglo-Indian usage carried it back into English with that meaning. The spelling "tiffen" is a variant of the same word. The exact route from the drinking sense to the meal sense is uncertain, so the connection rests on the shared idea of a small portion of food or drink.

Synonyms: lunch, luncheon, midday meal