food
Americannoun
-
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.
-
whatever supplies nourishment to organisms.
plant food.
-
anything serving for consumption or use.
food for thought.
noun
-
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
-
nourishment in more or less solid form as opposed to liquid form
food and drink
-
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
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
He said the babies were moving a lot for a month old and the head keeper had seen one trying bites of food.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
The personal consumption expenditures price index rose by 3.8% in May, while the core measure, which excludes food and energy prices, gained 3.3% year over year.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
Maryland in April became the first state to ban food retailers and delivery services from using personal data to set higher prices.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
“Prices for food are going up, so that’s impacting dating, too,” she told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026
The problem, of course, was that we were grateful for food of any kind: we stood in line for hours, this third year of the occupation, to get whatever was available.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
