Quick Definition
breakfast or a mid-day meal
Strong's Definition
the best meal (or breakfast; perhaps from ("early")), i.e. luncheon
Derivation: apparently neuter of a superlative from the same as G730 (ἄῤῥην);
KJV Usage: dinner
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἄριστον, ἀρίστου, τό (from Homer down);
a. the first food, taken early in the morning before work, breakfast; dinner was called δεῖπνον. But the later Greeks called breakfast; τό ἀκράτισμα, and dinner ἄριστον i. e. δεῖπνον μεσηβρινον, Athen. 1, 9, 10, p. 11b.; and so in the N. T. Hence,
b. dinner: Luk_14:12 (ποιεῖν ἄριστον ἤ δεῖπνον, to which others are invited); Luk_11:38; Mat_22:4 (ἑτοιμάζειν). (B. D. under the word ; Becker's Charicles, namely, vi. excurs. i. (English translation, p. 312f).)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἄριστον ariston 3x
pr. the first meal, breakfast; afterwards extended to signify also a slight mid-day meal, luncheon, Mat_22:4 ; Luk_11:38 ; Luk_14:12
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἄριστον , -ου , τό ,
[in LXX : 1Ki_3:1 ( H3899 ), Tob_2:1 ; Tob_2:4 , al. ;]
1, prop ., breakfast .
2. In late Gk . = cl . δεῖτνον , dinner: Mat_22:4 , Luk_11:38 ; Luk_14:12 .†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἄριστον [page 77]
P Oxy III. 519 .17 (ii/A.D.) παιδίοις ἀρίστου ὀβ (ολοὶ ) ς̄ is presumably the account of a meal, which from the price was probably a light one! So ib. IV.736 .28 ( c. A.D. I) πράσων ἀρίστῳ γερδί (ου ) (ὀβολός ) leeks for the weaver s breakfast (Edd.). P Tebt I. 112 introd. .17 (B.C. 112) ἀρίστου σὺν Ἡλιοδώ (ρωι ) Ἀθη ( ) κ̄ , ib. 116 .36 (late ii/B.C.) σῦκα ἐ̣π̣ι ἀρίστου ῑ . A more considerable meal seems intended in P Tebt I. 120 .82 (i/B.C.) εἰς τὸ Ἰσιῆν τοῦ ἀρίστ [ο ]υ ῑε̄ it was a repast in the temple of Isis. Ib. 121 .93 (i/B.C.) ὄψου ἐπ᾽ ἀρίστῳ ξ̄ . We have not noticed the verb ἀριστάω .
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
ἄριστον [Etym: α^ in Epic, α in attic] "the morning meal, breakfast", taken at sunrise, Hom. , Hdt. ; ἄριστα, δεῖπνα, δόρπα θ᾽ αἱρεῖσθαι τρίτον Aesch. :—later, ἄριστον was the mid-day meal, Roman "prandium", Thuc. [Etym: Perh. akin to ἦρι, "early."]
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
ἄριστον, -ου, τό
[in LXX: 3Ki.3:1 (לֶחֶם), Tob.2:1, 4, al. ;]
__1 1, prop., breakfast.
__2. In late Gk. = cl. δεῖτνον, dinner: Mat.22:4, Luk.11:38 14:12.†
(AS)