nutrient

[ noo-tree-uhnt, nyoo- ]

adjective

1. nourishing; nourishing; providing nourishment or nutriment.
2. containing or conveying nutriment, as solutions or vessels of the body.

noun

1. a nutrient substance.

nutrient

/ ˈnjuːtrɪənt /

noun

1. any of the mineral substances that are absorbed by the roots of plants for nourishment
2. any substance that nourishes an organism

adjective

1. providing or contributing to nourishment

   a nutrient solution

nutrient

/ no̅o̅′trē-ənt /

1. A substance that provides nourishment for growth or metabolism. Plants absorb nutrients mainly from the soil in the form of minerals and other inorganic compounds, and animals obtain nutrients from ingested foods.

Other Words From

• non·nutri·ent adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nutrient¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin nūtrient-, stem of nūtriēns “feeding,” present participle of nūtrīre “to feed”; nourish

Word History and Origins

Origin of nutrient¹

C17: from Latin nūtrīre to nourish

Example Sentences

They’re also a great way to consume a ton of nutrient-dense items and, when assembled with care, are surprisingly portable.

From Outside Online

That means water and nutrients stick around, too, creating ideal conditions for plants to grow.

From Singularity Hub 

The values they estimated included the sediments’ age, the density and distribution of cells in them, how those cells got their energy, and the rates at which the cells metabolized the available nutrients.

From Quanta Magazine

After “feeding” microbes from the collected sediments with nutrients including carbon and nitrogen, the team tracked the organisms’ activity based on what was consumed.

From Science News

We’re trying to see how that influences their geochemistry and nutrients, and how life has adapted to the different conditions.

From Quanta Magazine

The deep is much too nutrient poor to support such a large animal.

From The Daily Beast

After all, water is the most essential nutrient our system needs.

From The Daily Beast

This nutrient helps balance the sodium in your diet and assists with regulating blood pressure.

From The Daily Beast

This may cause a negative autoimmune response, and inhibits proper digestion and nutrient absorption.

From The Daily Beast

Smart snacks are nutrient dense; they have lower calories with healthy benefits.

From The Daily Beast

Variety is very desirable, provided that there is no important sacrifice in nutrient value.

From Project Gutenberg

By autumn, plankton concentrations diminish as light and nutrient levels decrease.

From Project Gutenberg

The composition, reaction, etc., of the nutrient medium in which the organism is growing.

From Project Gutenberg

A watery solution of the extractives, etc., of lean meat (usually beef) forms the basis of several nutrient media.

From Project Gutenberg

Complete the solution of the various ingredients by bubbling live steam through the flask as in making nutrient agar.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• fiber
• food
• mineral
• vitamin