Déjeuner

Déjeuner is a French noun that designates the middle-of-the-day meal in most Francophone countries, commonly translated as lunch. As a verb, déjeune means to have lunch (je déjeune à midi). In standard French, petit-déjeuner is breakfast and dîner is dinner; déjeuner refers to the noon meal.

Regional usage varies. In France, Belgium, Switzerland and much of Africa, déjeuner denotes the midday meal taken around noon, typically between 12:00 and 14:00. In Canadian French, especially in Quebec, meal naming differs: petit déjeuner is breakfast, dîner is the midday meal, and souper is the evening meal; эту distinction can vary by region and generation, and some speakers still use déjeuner for breakfast or lunch depending on local habit.

Etymology traces back to Old French desjeuner, from the idea of breaking the fast after sleeping. The term reflects the traditional shift from breaking the overnight fast to the main daytime meal. Today, déjeuner can be a light snack in some contexts or a full multi-course meal in others, especially in workplaces or restaurants.

Typical content and structure of a déjeuner vary by country and occasion. In many places, the meal may include a starter, a main course, cheese or dessert, and a break during the workday for a larger midday meal, though urban life often favors quicker, simpler options.

See also: petit déjeuner, dîner, souper, repas.