noun
tiffin
TIHF-ihn
noun
1
A light midday meal, especially as the term is used in South Asia and parts of the former British Empire.
"They packed a tiffin of rice and curry for the train journey."
"He carries his tiffin to the office every day in a stainless-steel box."
2
The stacked metal container used to carry such a meal.
"She filled the tiffin with three different dishes for lunch."
How to Use Tiffin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA packed lunch, or the container it's carried in, especially in South Asian usage.
Common pairings
tiffin box
pack a tiffin
Word Forms
tiffined past tense, tiffins plural, Tiffins plural, tiffins singular
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Etymology
From an old English word "tiffing," meaning taking a small drink or snack, used in British colonial India for the midday meal.