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Supper is the evening meal - ordinarily the last meal of the day.
The term is derived from the French souper, which is still used for this meal in Quebec French and sometimes in Belgian French. It is related to soup.
Traditional meaning
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, supper was originally a light meal eaten just before bedtime. This meaning is still retained for the case of an "after-theatre supper".It was in addition to the main evening meal of dinner or high tea, eaten in the early evening.
In some agricultural regions of Canada and the United States, farmers traditionally used "dinner" for a main meal taken at midday, with "supper" being a lighter meal in the early evening. However, this usage is dying out.
The word "supper" is nowadays used almost always as a synonym for "dinner".
Other meanings
In the United Kingdom, particularly in Scots and Scottish English, a fish supper is a portion of fish and chips.
In Australian English, supper may refer to a late light dessert had some time after dinner.
Other languages
Continental French for "supper" is dîner; in Catalan it is sopar; in Spanish and Italian it is cena, and in Esperanto it is vespermanĝo.
In Spain, Portugal and Latin America, supper may be eaten as late as ten or eleven p.m.
See also
Meals
"Supper"