Dinnertime is the part of the day when people eat their evening meal together. For most families, dinnertime happens somewhere between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m., though the exact hour varies from household to household. Some families eat earlier, some later, depending on work schedules, activities, and traditions.

Dinnertime often serves as a gathering time when families come together after being apart all day, sharing stories about school, work, and whatever happened since breakfast. In many homes, dinnertime is the one moment when everyone sits down together without distractions, making it an important family ritual.

The word can also describe the general period when dinner happens, even if you're not actually eating. A parent might say, “Come home by dinnertime,” meaning around 6:00 or 7:00, whether or not dinner is ready at that exact moment. Different cultures have different dinnertime traditions: some families have formal sit-down meals every night, while others eat more casually. Some cultures eat their main meal at midday and have a lighter evening meal, but in the United States, dinner typically refers to the evening meal, making dinnertime an evening occasion.