lunch

the origin of 'lunch' is somewhat obscure, though it likely emerged as a shortened form. one strong theory traces it to the spanish word 'lonja', meaning 'a slice', which evolved into the english dialect term 'luncheon' in the 16th century, referring to a thick piece of food. by the 17th century, 'luncheon' denoted a light meal between breakfast and dinner. the shorter, more casual 'lunch' appeared in the 19th century and eventually became the standard term for the midday meal. its journey reflects a common linguistic pattern of abbreviation and the social evolution of mealtimes.

the word 'lunch' is a simplex word of uncertain origin. it is not productively formed from identifiable, separable morphemes in modern english.