Supper
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "supper" means the evening meal. It often contrasts with "dinner," which may refer to the midday meal in older country usage.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
It's a mix - you still hear 'supper' and 'dinner' down here. I grew up with only 'supper.' Lunch was 'dinner.' Hillbilly Dude Says...
It's a mix - you still hear 'supper' and 'dinner' down here. I grew up with only 'supper.' Lunch was 'dinner.' Pronunciation
[SUP-er]
Meaning & Usage
- Evening meal (noun)
Mae:
Y’all wash up - supper’s ready.
Y’all wash up - supper’s ready.
Earl:
Nothin’ smells better than fried taters at suppertime.
Nothin’ smells better than fried taters at suppertime.variations: evening meal, dinner (in some places), night meal, family table, beans-and-cornbread meal
★ "Supper" feels homey and informal, tied to family meals. It can hint at tradition - beans, cornbread, fried chicken, or whatever’s on the stove. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Old French *souper* (to eat the evening meal), tied to Latin *suppare* (to soak, dip bread in broth). The word traveled with English settlers and stuck strongest in rural Southern and Appalachian speech.
Usage Notes
Still widely used in Appalachia and the South. In cities and the North, "dinner" is more common for the evening meal. Many rural families still keep the old contrast: "dinner" at noon, "supper" in the evening.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it plain: "supper." Rhymes with "upper."