dejeuner
UK[ˈdeʒəneɪ]US[ˌdeɪʒəˈneɪ]
n
A midday meal; lunch.
v
To eat lunch.
Etymology
The word 'dejeuner' entered English directly from French, retaining its original spelling and primary meaning of a midday meal. Its ultimate origin lies in Latin, combining the prefix 'dis-' (apart, away) with 'ieiūnus' (fasting, hungry), to create a verb meaning "to break one's fast." This concept evolved in French to specifically denote the first main meal of the day, which historically was eaten around noon. In modern English usage, it is a somewhat formal or affected term for lunch, explicitly signaling its French culinary and cultural associations.
Analysis
This word is a direct loanword from French and is not productively segmented using English morphemes. In its source language, it is derived from the Old French 'disner' (to break one's fast, to dine), which itself came from Vulgar Latin 'disieiūnāre', from Latin 'dis-' (expressing reversal) + 'ieiūnus' (fasting).
Examples
We enjoyed a leisurely dejeuner on the terrace.
The invitation specified a business dejeuner at one o'clock.
They prefer to dejeuner at a small bistro near their office.