nutritive

[ noo-tri-tiv, nyoo- ]

adjective

1. serving to nourish; providing nutriment; nutritious.
2. of, relating to, or concerned with nutrition:

   foods with high nutritive value.

noun

1. an item of nourishing food:

   a breakfast of cereals, fruits, and other nutritives.

nutritive

/ ˈnjuːtrɪtɪv /

adjective

1. providing nourishment
2. of, concerning, or promoting nutrition

noun

1. a nutritious food

Derived Forms

• ˈnutritively, adverb

Other Words From

• nutri·tive·ly adverb
• nutri·tive·ness noun
• hyper·nutri·tive adjective
• non·nutri·tive adjective
• non·nutri·tive·ly adverb
• non·nutri·tive·ness noun
• un·nutri·tive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nutritive¹

1350–1400; < Medieval Latin nūtrītīvus, equivalent to nūtrīt- ( nutrition ) + -īvus -ive; replacing Middle English nutritif < Middle French < Medieval Latin as above

Example Sentences

The pioneers are the seabirds, whose fishy guano provides a nutritive anchor for air and seaborne seeds.

From Scientific American

Once milk flows, the baby will switch to a different, nutritive suck pattern.

From Washington Post

Fall is a great time to add a percolating layer of compost as a nutritive mulch on new or existing beds, or even on a lawn.

From Seattle Times

Small-scale, ecofriendly cultivation methods using indigenous knowledge and inputs and cutting-edge science increase the variety, nutritive value and quantity of foods produced on farms while stabilizing rural economies, promoting gender equity and protecting biodiversity.

From Scientific American

On the flip side, nutritive sweeteners are sugar's "cousins" and are slightly less sweet than table sugar.

From Salon