ENGLISH
REFERENCE

snack

n.
US //ˈsnæk// UK //snˈæk// snack
  1. 1 food between meals (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    a small amount of food that you eat between your main meals.

    a small portion of food or a light meal consumed between regular meal times.

    Example

    I usually have a healthy snack like an apple in the afternoon.

    Example

    The nutritionist recommended choosing snacks with high protein content to maintain energy levels between lunch and dinner.

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch snacken (“to snack”). Cognate with German schnäken (“to snack”).

Etymology 2

See snatch (transitive verb). Ultimately of the same origin as the word under Etymology 1, but perhaps through a different source.

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