Do you know where the word 'ontbijten' comes from?

Do you ever stop to think about where the word ontbijten (to have breakfast) actually comes from?

In the Dutch language, the prefix ont- often indicates the beginning of an action. Think of words like ontwaken (to wake up), ontdooien (to thaw), or ontbranden (to ignite). With ontbijten, it literally means: beginning to bite. In other words: taking the first bite of the day.

In other languages, the word for breakfast also refers to the start of the day or breaking a period without eating. The English breakfast literally means breaking the fast. The German Frühstück refers to the fact that a ‘piece’ is eaten early. And the Portuguese café da manhã nicely shows how in some countries coffee is inextricably linked to the morning meal.

Fun fact: in the past, ontbijt did not necessarily mean the first meal of the morning. It could also be a light meal later in the day. What we now call lunch was even sometimes referred to as the second breakfast. In France, you can still see a nice reference to this in the terms le petit déjeuner (small breakfast) and le déjeuner (lunch).

Today, when we think of breakfast, we mainly think of coffee, tea, freshly baked rolls, or perhaps an extensive breakfast with colleagues or associates. But however you choose to fill it in: breakfast remains the tasty start of the day worldwide.

Want to organize an inspiring morning yourself? From coffee experience to brunch workshop or a fully catered breakfast meeting: we are happy to think along with you.