Midnight chow means: A meal served in the mess hall around midnight or later.. It is military jargon and mostly appears in service contexts, war fiction, or among veterans and their families. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
midnight chow
(US, military, informal) A meal served in the mess hall around midnight or later.
ˈmɪdˌnaɪt ˈt͡ʃaʊDocumented since 1980s1980sGen Xhistorical148 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Etymology timeline
Born ~1980 · no dated citations yetGen X eraSee decade cohort →
Definitions
Global
#1·Apr 27, 2026Global
(US, military, informal) A meal served in the mess hall around midnight or later.
For parents
Midnight chow means: A meal served in the mess hall around midnight or later.. It is military jargon and mostly appears in service contexts, war fiction, or among veterans and their families. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
midnight chow means: A meal served in the mess hall around midnight or later.. Register: informal, military jargon. Common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; always check the context before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
Cluster: farewell
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "midnight chow" (M)
mid mermaidcoremid metamid modemid moggingmid moodmid nerfmidnight feastmidnuptial agreementmid ohiomid opmidpackmid petmalu
Browse all slang words starting with M.
Related terms
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Semantically related
- chow hall74%
(military slang) mess hall.
- chowtime74%
Slang for mealtime — the time when food is served or eaten. The word combines 'chow' (informal for food, particularly in military contexts) with 'time', producing a casual, no-fuss term with a slightly institutional or military flavour. It is informal and cheerful in register.
- chow hall73%
Military slang for the mess hall — the cafeteria where service members eat their meals on base. Chow hall carries the no-frills, institutional energy of military life: you grab a tray, get your food, eat fast, and get back to it. Outside the armed forces, the phrase has bled into school, prison, and camp contexts to describe any large communal eating space where the menu isn't exactly gourmet.
- midnight feast71%
(British) An informal meal of various snack foods, eaten at or around midnight, typically arranged and held in secret by children.
- chow call70%
Chow call is military and institutional slang for an announcement signalling that it's time to eat — the call to the mess hall or dining facility. 'Chow' is established American slang for food (of uncertain but possibly Chinese-pidgin origin), and 'call' refers to the announcement or bugle call. The term is most at home in military, camp, prison, or other institutional settings where meals are communal and announced. Carries a no-frills, no-ceremony register.