Meal

Question

Hello,could you tell me if  it is correct to say:"Pizza is my favourite meal"?Should I replace it with "dish" or can I keep it in this sentence?Thank you

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

It sounds odd. Instead of meal, I would use dish, or food.

Hotmale · Answer

I asked this question, because my dictionary says:

"an occasion when food is eaten, or the food which is eaten on such an occasion"

Therefore, according to this definition, pizza - the food - could be meal

CalifJim · Answer

HotmaleI asked this question, because my dictionary says:"an occasion when food is eaten, or the food which is eaten on such an occasion"Therefore, according to this definition, pizza - the food - could be meal

I'm afraid you have misinterpreted the meaning of the definition!

"meal" can refer to the occasion, or "meal" can refer to the food.

So when you say, "We have three meals a day — breakfast, lunch, and dinner", 'meal' refers to three occasions during the day during which you eat.

And when you say, "We had a really good meal at Gino's Restaurant", 'meal' refers to the food that you ate at that restaurant.

The definition doesn't mean that you can say that any particular edible thing is your favorite meal. It's your favorite food. Pizza is your favorite food. Chocolate is your favorite food. Lamb is your favorite food. And so on.

But you can say that breakfast is your favorite meal of the day. And you can describe a meal in terms of food like this:

My favorite meal consists of pizza and beer.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

HotmaleI asked this question, because my dictionary says:"an occasion when food is eaten, or the food which is eaten on such an occasion"Therefore, according to this definition, pizza - the food - could be meal

When I think of the meaning of meal, I think of sitting to a table, at home or in the resturant, usually at a particular time, and possibly accompanied by family and/or friends.. . It's like an activity or time related to food. Therefore, the word meal has more to it than just the food, and what's considered a tasty or desirable food, is not necessairly as good when thoght of as a meal.. . >>Virtually every one loves chocolate, it's a tasty food; but does that make it a good meal, dinner for example?

I beleive there is nothing wrong in referring to pizza as a meal, it's just that such a situation is rare, and when people think of pizza, they usually think of the food itself, in abstraction of the context associated with the word meal.

Not sure though!

Hotmale · Answer

CalifJimI'm afraid you have misinterpreted the meaning of the definition!"meal" can refer to the occasion, or "meal" can refer to the food.

I see now. Thank you!

Hotmale · Answer

screamererI beleive there is nothing wrong in referring to pizza as a meal, it's just that such a situation is rare, and when people think of pizza, they usually think of the food itself, in abstraction of the context associated with the word meal.

Thank you, Screamerer, for your answer. It's very clear now

Meal

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