breakfast

noun

break·​fast ˈbrek-fəst 

1

: the first meal of the day especially when taken in the morning

2

: the food prepared for a breakfast

eat your breakfast

breakfast verb

breakfaster noun

Examples of breakfast in a Sentence

I had pancakes for breakfast.

Did you have breakfast before you left?

Recent Examples on the Web

The breakfast buffet, too, is just as worldly: the bountiful help-yourself spread of arepas, empanadas, smoked salmon, baba ganoush, fresh fruit, and more is the perfect way to fuel up for a day of exploring. —Katie Chang, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025

The nine-room Salt Raker Inn was built on the waterfront in 1830 for a Bermudian shipwright; on Saturday and Sunday, locals come here for the breakfast of peas and grits. —Laura Begley Bloom, AFAR Media, 10 Mar. 2025

Save those eggs for your favorite cake recipes and breakfast casseroles—these pasta recipes, casserole recipes, and more feed your family—no eggs required. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2025

Use them as a topping on your next salad, turn them into a sweet or spicy afternoon pick-me-up, or mix them into breakfast dishes like yogurt, porridge, and granola. —Caroline Tien, SELF, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English brekfast, from the phrase breken fast "to break one's fast, end abstinence from food"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing breakfast

• a dog's breakfast
• bed-and-breakfast
• breakfast bar
• continental breakfast
• cooked breakfast
• dog's breakfast
• English breakfast
• pre-breakfast
• working/business breakfast

Kids Definition

breakfast

noun

break·​fast ˈbrek-fəst 

: the first meal of the day

breakfast verb