LUNCH, LUNCH'EON, noun Literally, a swallow; but in usage, a portion of food taken at any time, except at a regular meal. It is not unusual to take a luncheon before dinner. The passengers in the line-ships regularly have their lunch I sliced the luncheon from the barley loaf.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI