Difference Between Lunch and Luncheon

Lunch vs Luncheon
 

The difference between lunch and luncheon is subtle, and thus they are mistaken to mean the same. Lunch and luncheon are two words that are a bit confusing since they look similar in their word-formation. They are wrongly construed to have similar meanings, but it should be noted that they have different senses. So, once you understand what each term refers to, then understanding the difference between lunch and luncheon will not be confusing. Also, the difference between the words lunch and luncheon lies in the occasion it is used. That is what gives a difference to the meanings of the two words. Therefore, pay attention to the occasion each word is used and then you will be able to use the words appropriately.

What is Lunch?

Lunch normally refers to the meal taken in the early part of the afternoon. It is always a meal which is less formal than a supper or dinner. It is less formal in the sense that you tend to take what is called quick lunch at a restaurant near your office or workplace. On the other hand, you would take supper in a more formal way at your home. Lunch can be a full one or a quick one. A quick lunch comprises of mixed food items and some salads. Full lunch, on the other hand, comprises of more food items including side dishes and soups.

It is interesting to note that the word lunch is often preceded by the usage of the preposition ‘at’ as in the expression ‘at lunch’. This particular expression is used in sports such as cricket as in sentences such as ‘The score at lunch is 129 for 4’ and ‘He came out at the stroke of lunch’.

What is Luncheon?

Sometimes the word luncheon is used in the sense of lunch especially when it is taken in a more formal way at a restaurant or any other selected place. Luncheon is used when a group of people are taking lunch at a place such as a public dining room. This can be during a club meeting or a business meeting. When you are having lunch with a client, you can use the word luncheon. You can simply use the word lunch too. Either word is not wrong. It is, of course, important that these lunch events should take place in the early part of the afternoon.

What is the difference between Lunch and Luncheon?

What all is said and done, it is interesting to note that the words lunch and luncheon are often interchanged. They are interchangeable simply because of the fact that they refer to the food taken during the afternoon.

• Lunch is the word used to refer to the meal we take in the middle of the day. It is usually lighter or less formal than an evening meal.

• Then, the word, luncheon also refers to lunch (the meal taken at the middle of the day). However, this is a more formal word used to refer to lunch.

• You can use the word lunch when you are having a meal with a friend or a family member. You can use the word luncheon when you are having the midday meal with a client or a business partner.

• Lunch is more associated with informal situations while the luncheon is associated with formal situations.

• One can use the two words interchangeably without creating much trouble since both refer to the same meal. However, by using one word or the other, you can give a hint of the importance of the meal to others.

This is the difference between lunch and luncheon.

Images Courtesy:Lunch and Luncheon via Wikicommons (Public Domain)

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