What's The Difference Between Dinner And Supper?

Depends on which Southern generation you ask.

Ask 10 Southerners the difference between “dinner” and “supper” andyou’ll get 10 different answers.

What Does the Dictionary Say?

First, let’s pull out the trusty dictionary and define both terms.

Merriam-Webster establishes dinner as “the principal meal of the day.”

Whereas supper, traditionally speaking, was thought of as a light meal following dinner.

Today, particularly among the younger generation, not so much.

Now you’re more likely to hear people ask, “what’s for dinner?”

Between 1600 and 1776, the South relied heavily on agriculture and farming.

This makes perfect sense when you think of the Merriam-Webster definition of supper and its root word.

So which word did you use in your household growing up?