food
Americannoun
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foods
plural
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any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.
-
more or less solid nourishment, as distinguished from liquids.
-
a particular kind of solid nourishment.
a breakfast food; dog food.
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whatever supplies nourishment to organisms.
plant food.
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anything serving for consumption or use.
food for thought.
noun
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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
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nourishment in more or less solid form as opposed to liquid form
food and drink
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anything that provides mental nourishment or stimulus
food for thought
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of food
First recorded before 1000; Middle English fode, Old English fōda; compare Old English fēdan, Gothic fōdjan feed; cf. fodder ( def. ), foster
Explanation
Food is anything that you can eat and digest. Your body needs food to grow and live. Some people love pizza, others love Thai food, and many can't get enough fruits and vegetables. Everything served at a restaurant is some kind of food — you eat it, digest it, and poop it out. Just because you can chew and swallow something doesn't make it food — try eating a crayon. To be food, it has to have nutritional value. Along with water and shelter, food is something you need to survive.
Vocabulary lists containing food
Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms - Introductory
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Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The index showed that inflation was 3.7% in June, or 3.3% excluding volatile food and energy prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The series changed the way I understood food.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
McDonald’s is bringing in a new U.S. president to conduct a turnaround and implement a new strategy focused on improving food and service.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Reichl had the courage to dig deeper and show people a different side of food writing in a time when most people only read the food section for the ads.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
Arlo goes to get his jacket; I gobble down the rest of my food and grab a light jacket from the hall closet.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Kennedy and several other Cabinet members have reportedly embraced versions of the plan, which emphasizes grass-fed meat and fermented foods while eliminating alcohol and sugary foods.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
Before much cooking can occur, however, Gruel explains that many Americans are addicted to processed foods because those foods have been chemically engineered to be addictive.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
‘If the aim is simply to make certain foods more available, a government-subsidized market counts as a success merely by existing.’
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Experts also advise people avoid certain foods such as fresh uncooked berries and herbs, unpeeled fruit and salad items.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Many caterpillars looked almost identical to one another but ate different foods and hatched into very different adults.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
