What is the meal. The origin of the word, its meaning

Many Russian words turn out to be unfairly forgotten. In particular, to answer the question of what a meal is, many of us will need some time to think. Of course, each of us knows that this word means a certain food intake. However, not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance.

Monastic table

In Greek, the word trapeza is translated as a table. If we talk about the importance of this word in the Russian language, then most of the explanatory dictionaries and encyclopedias determine that this is a meal connected with the monastery table. Meals in the monastery, a common table in the monastery, a room for eating in the monastery - that's what a meal is. With the popularization of religious traditions in Russia, churches began to create premises where you can have lunch and buy fresh baked goods. They are also called refectory.

What is a meal? Russian Encyclopedia

It is interesting to define this concept from the point of view of behavior at the table, etiquette. The "Meal" in the Russian encyclopedia is treated as a feast with the obligatory observance of the principles of goodness and piety.

According to the data, in peasant consciousness the word "table" was associated with the throne of God in the church. This piece of furniture was perceived by ordinary people as a shrine, it was brought into the room first, when they went for some reason to another hut. Putting it in a red corner, people necessarily said a prayer on four sides. Directly "under the saints" sat the head of the family or a respected guest. Then placed by seniority. In very large families, the table was covered twice. Approximately, it looked like a Russian meal until the end of the XIX century.

General concept

Along with the fact that this word was widely accepted in church circles, in traditional Russian culture the meal also meant a joint meal (together with family members or a group of people) and even a form of everyday communication between people.

It is also known that the word "meal" could be applied in relation to the festive meal (a festive meal, the Easter meal), a funeral dinner (a memorial meal). This use of the word is not very common.

It is worth noting that there is such a thing as "last meal", which is a special meal given to a person sentenced to death.

However, here is a far from complete definition of what a meal is. These are only the most common uses for this word. The "meal of the church" is also called the lower end of the cross against the altar. It was in this place that the Evening of Love was celebrated in the first centuries of Christianity.

In modern language, the word "shabby" is quite common. It is understood by us as something dirty, worn, worn (for example, shabby appearance). In church traditions the word "shabby" is understood as simple, fraternal, everyday.