Learn English – Where did the term “Square Meal” come from

american-englishidioms

In several older TV shows (think Andy Griffith) I've heard the term "Square Meal" used to describe an ideal hardy and nutritious meal. The term can be applied to breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Where did this term come from, and what does it actually mean, and why did it fall out of use?

Best Answer

Evan Morris has a 2008 article which mentions this (and other uses of 'square') in The Word Detective:

... In adopting the term “square” to their own use, the jazz musicians were, ironically, simply employing a very old sense of “square” meaning “fair, honest, reliable or in proper order” (still heard in phrases such as “square deal”).

This “square,” which dates back to at least the 16th century, rests in turn on the use of “square” to mean “equal” (as are the sides of a geometric square) or “solid, steady” (as a structure with properly square joints). The use of “square” in “square meal” conveys the same sense of “proper and substantial” (and, despite the popular legend, has nothing to do with square plates).

As slang for the conservative types of music jazz marked a radical departure from, “square” was a perfect fit.

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