food

[food]

noun

1. any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.

   Synonyms: menu, diet, meat, sustenance, bread, aliment, nutriment

2. more or less solid nourishment, as distinguished from liquids.

3. a particular kind of solid nourishment.

   a breakfast food; dog food.

4. whatever supplies nourishment to organisms.

   plant food.

5. anything serving for consumption or use.

   food for thought.

food

/ fuːd /

noun

1. any substance containing nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, that can be ingested by a living organism and metabolized into energy and body tissue

2. nourishment in more or less solid form as opposed to liquid form

   food and drink

3. anything that provides mental nourishment or stimulus

   food for thought

Other Word Forms

• foodless adjective
• foodlessness noun
• nonfood noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of food¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English fode, Old English fōda; compare Old English fēdan, Gothic fōdjan feed; fodder ( def. ), foster

Word History and Origins

Origin of food¹

Old English fōda ; related to Old Frisian fōdia to nourish, feed, Old Norse fœthi , Gothic fōdeins food; see _feed , _fodder

Synonym Study

Food, fare, provisions, ration(s) all refer to nutriment. Food is the general word: Breakfast foods have become very popular. Many animals prefer grass as food. Fare refers to the whole range of foods that may nourish a person or animal: an extensive bill of fare; The fare of some animals is limited in range. Provisions is applied to a store or stock of necessary things, especially food, prepared beforehand: provisions for a journey. Ration implies an allotment or allowance of provisions: a daily ration for each man of a company. Rations often means food in general: to be on short rations.

Example Sentences

Researchers have also estimated how much each fruit species contributes to the overall diet at each site, which allowed the Berkeley team to calculate an average daily intake of ethanol from food.

Read more on Science Daily

“Of the six largest manufacturing industries, three—computer and electronic products, food, beverage and tobacco products, and machinery—expanded in November,” Spence added.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

At a plaza at the complex, people manning a local relief effort collected donations and distributed essentials such as clothing, bedding, diapers and food to residents displaced by the fire.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Research suggests people may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the medication though, as their normal food cravings return.

Read more on BBC

Why reinforce the label of “food comedian” by attaching his name to a bacon?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bread 
• cooking 
• cuisine 
• drink 
• fare 
• feed 
• foodstuff 
• meal 
• meat 
• snack