Standard Lemma guide

breadline

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /ˈbɹɛdlaɪn/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A line of people waiting to receive food from a charity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The lowest income level at which one's most basic necessities of survival are met; poverty line or subsistence level.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, figuratively

Examples

  • Every day brings new worries about falling below the breadline.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a queue of people waiting for free food

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bread line

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: queue, waiting line

History

Etymology

From bread + line. In sense 2, referring to the income level at which one can afford to buy bread, a staple food.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: leipäjono — line for food from charity
  • German: Brotschlange — line for food from charity
  • Polish: kolejka po żywność — line for food from charity
  • Turkish: ekmek kuyruğu — line for food from charity
  • Turkish: yemek kuyruğu — line for food from charity
  • Finnish: toimeentuloraja — subsistence level
  • German: Existenzminimum — subsistence level
  • Polish: granica ubóstwa — subsistence level