verb

merendar

snack · have an afternoon snack

Comer algo ligero entre el almuerzo y la cena, o por la mañana, para quitar el hambre.

Definition & meaning

merendar is a verb that refers to the act of eating a light meal between lunch and dinner, typically in the late afternoon. In many Spanish-speaking cultures, this is a distinct social or daily habit known as the merienda.

Depending on the context, it can have two main meanings:

To eat a snack or a light afternoon meal.
Colloquially, it can mean to overcome or defeat someone easily in a competitive setting, similar to "to make a meal out of" or "to eat someone for breakfast."

Grammar & Word origin

merendar is an irregular verb of the first conjugation (-ar) that undergoes a stem change (e to ie) in the present tense (e.g., yo meriendo).

Etymologically, it comes from the Latin word merenda, which was a meal eaten in the late afternoon or evening. It is derived from merere, meaning "to deserve" or "to earn," as this meal was traditionally considered something earned through the day's work.