Beanfeast
/ˈbiːn.fiːst/noun
A celebratory meal or outing given to employees or a group, especially in British English.
Did you know?Despite the name, the word is not about magical beans; it comes from a real communal feast tradition, and in British slang it later became a term for an employer-paid outing or celebration.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
bēan
“bean, the edible seed of a legume”
Old English
OE
fēast
“feast, a rich meal or celebration”
18th–19th Century
English
bean-feast
“a meal or outing provided for workers or servants, often as a yearly treat”
Modern English
English
beanfeast
“a celebratory meal or outing, especially one given by an employer”