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Synonyms

foodstuff

American  
[food-stuhf] / ˈfudˌstʌf /

noun

  • foodstuffs
    plural
  1. a substance used or capable of being used as nutriment.


foodstuff British  
/ ˈfuːdˌstʌf /

noun

  1. any material, substance, etc, that can be used as food

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of foodstuff

First recorded in 1870–75; food + stuff

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:

“Just like rice—basic foodstuff that you would fix at the end of the world,” he said, adding that he hasn’t had issues with management.

From The Wall Street Journal May 26, 2026

As he watches the jamón being carved, Jaime Fernández, international commercial director for the Grupo Osborne, which produces wine, sherry and the renowned Cinco Jotas brand of ham, describes it as a "flagship" national foodstuff.

From BBC Jun. 10, 2025

The Times surveyed renowned chefs and found that beyond some red-white-and-blue-frosted desserts, and foodstuff arranged to suggest the Olympic rings — fruit, antipasti, onion rings — most weren’t bothering.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 24, 2024

And versions of this protest tool, throwing a foodstuff at somebody, have been around a long time.

From Slate Jun. 5, 2024

After letting freezing night temperatures break down the tubers’ cell walls, Andean farmers stomped out the water content to make dried chuho, a nigh-indestructible foodstuff that could be stored for years.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Most traditional foodstuffs, such as nuts or zereshk -- small red berries used in Persian cuisine -- remain available, however.

From Barron's Sep. 13, 2026

B&M Retail Ltd has been fined £2m over mice infestations at three Birmingham stores where inspectors found rodent-gnawed foodstuffs and droppings near children's toys.

From BBC Jul. 21, 2026

Coverage of the foodstuffs whisked into MSG includes photo evidence of eggs, bell peppers, oranges and arugula.

From Salon Jul. 2, 2026

Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who won April's general election with a pledge to combat inflation, introduced discounts of at least 15 percent on certain basic foodstuffs in early June, in cooperation with major retail chains.

From Barron's Jun. 25, 2026

If they lost some of their staple foodstuffs, they could gather or hunt other species, or move to a less affected area.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

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