supper time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "supper time" is not standard in written English; the correct term is "supper time" or "dinner time." You can use it to refer to the time when the evening meal is typically served.
Example: "It's getting late; I think it's supper time."

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

"It's supper time".

The New York Times - Arts

"I got out to the Berkshires around supper time.

The New Yorker

At supper time tonight, Adele will submit to her label bosses a final tracklist.

The Guardian - Music

There's a fantastic kids club, a kids' supper time, which turns out to be a great parents' mingling hour.

The New York Times

It is supper time - metal trays of fried food, tubs of salad - in the canteen when I arrive.

The Guardian

It was Waters who made hits of the future standards "Am I Blue," "Supper Time" and "Stormy Weather" (years before it became associated with Horne).

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

28 human-written examples

The other great supper-time interloper?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Carol or Virgie phoned every day, usually toward supper-time, when they must have thought her solitude was least bearable.

The New Yorker

Their reputation of direct marketers has been damaged by supper-time interruptions by telemarketers and the notion that direct-mail is "junk".

The Economist

Nietzsche once said that a thought comes when it wants, not when we want it to; when I think about my supper-time moment with a jolly Machiavelli on a Florentine horse, I wonder, how much control do we have over what we remember from books?

The Guardian - Books

Years before and after, my parents always made it a point to finish supper in time to watch Walter Cronkite.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing for a global audience, consider using "dinner time" instead of "supper time" to ensure clarity, as the latter is more common in specific regions.

Common error

Avoid using "supper time" to refer to the midday meal; "supper" denotes the evening meal, so use "lunchtime" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "supper time" functions primarily as a noun phrase, indicating the specific time designated for the evening meal. It often acts as a subject complement or an adverbial modifier specifying when something occurs, such as 'Early in December, Mr. Hashemi turned up unannounced… at supper time,' as seen in Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Wiki

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "supper time" is an acceptable noun phrase primarily used to denote the time for the evening meal. While grammatically sound, it is less common than "dinner time" and leans towards informal or regional usage. Ludwig examples show its usage in news media and descriptive contexts. While understandable, opting for "dinner time" ensures broader clarity, as Ludwig AI points out, it is not the standard term in written English. Thus, while not incorrect, context and audience should guide the choice between "supper time" and its more common alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dinner time

Replaces "supper" with the more commonly used "dinner", offering a more standard alternative.

dinnertime

Combines the two words into one, offering a concise and common way to refer to the time of dinner.

time for dinner

Combines the common "dinner" with the phrase structure of "time for", creating a standard alternative.

time for supper

Slightly rephrases the original, placing emphasis on the action of having supper.

evening mealtime

Replaces both words with slightly more formal synonyms, emphasizing the time of the evening meal.

the hour for supper

Uses a more descriptive and slightly formal phrasing, specifying the hour dedicated to supper.

when supper is served

Shifts the focus to the serving of supper, indicating the time when it is ready.

evening chow time

Replaces "supper" with a more informal term "chow", suggesting a more casual setting.

the evening feeding time

A more descriptive alternative, implying feeding in a family or domestic context. May sound unusual.

end of day meal

Focuses on the meaning of a meal that takes place at the end of the day, using more descriptive words.

FAQs

What's the difference between "supper time" and dinner time?

While both "supper time" and "dinner time" refer to the evening meal, "dinner time" is more widely understood and used across different regions. "Supper time" is more common in specific regional dialects.

Is "supper time" formal or informal?

"Supper time" leans towards being informal, particularly within specific regional dialects. "Dinner time" is generally considered more neutral.

What can I say instead of "supper time"?

You can use alternatives like "dinner time", "evening mealtime", or "time for dinner" depending on the context.

How do I use "supper time" in a sentence?

You can use "supper time" to indicate when the evening meal is typically served. For example, "It's getting late; I think it's supper time."