What is the Latin word for meal?

The usual Latin words for “meal” are ientāculum, prandium, gustātiō; also cēna, convīvium, epulum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“meal” in Latin

ientāculumbreakfast (particularly right after getting up)prandiumany meal; fodder gustātiōappetizer, entree, the first course of a meal; hors d'oeuvre cēnadinner, supper, principal meal (anciently taken at noon, afterwards later); gwestva (a duty levied by Welsh kings twice convīviumbanquet, party, feast epulumfeast, banquet, festive entertainment; dishes, meats.; food.dapsA sacrificial or solemn feast, religious banquet.; A meal, banquet, feast.; Fortune, wealth.farīnaground corn, flour, meal; dust, powder; matter of which a thing is composed, i. e. its nature, quality īnstruōto build in or into, insert; erect, construct; to arrange, organise or organize, plan; devise; to prepare (for), provide

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

meal

A repast, jentaculum (breakfast): prandium (luncheon): gustatio (a light meal shortly before the principal meal): cena (the principal meal of the Romans, taken about 3, 4, or 5 o’clock in the afternoon): convivium (a social meal, entertainment): epulum (a public meal on festivals, etc): epulae (a large, private banquet, distinguished by the number and excellence of the dishes): daps (a sumtuous entertainment for a religious purpose, a sacrificial feast; ☞ only poetical and post-Augustan, for a sumptuous private entertainment): a small, light meal, coenula: a regular meal, cena recta (opposed to sportula): to prepare a meal, cenam parare, instruere; convivium instruere, apparare, comparare, ornare, exornare: to give a meal, cenam or epulam alicui dare: to take a meal with anyone, cenare apud aliquem; accubare apud aliquem: to rise from a meal, surgere e cena: during a meal, inter cenam or epulas; super cenam; super mensam: after a meal, post cibum, post cenam; a cena (from table): cenatus (after having dined) MEAL,

Flour, or edible part of corn, farina (PROP. of corn; and of other things): fine meal, farina; farina minuta (general term): pollen (sifted): meal from barley, wheat, farina hordeacea, triticea: of meal, farinaceus full of meal, farinosus: like meal, farinulentus: meal-tub, area farinaria: meal-sieve, cribrum farinarium (Cels.).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for meal?: The usual Latin words for “meal” are ientāculum, prandium, gustātiō; also cēna, convīvium, epulum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.