food

American  

[food] / fud /

noun

1. any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.

   Synonyms:

   menu, diet, meat, sustenance, bread, aliment, nutriment

2. more or less solid nourishment, as distinguished from liquids.

3. a particular kind of solid nourishment.

   a breakfast food; dog food.

4. whatever supplies nourishment to organisms.

   plant food.

5. anything serving for consumption or use.

   food for thought.

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food British  

/ fuːd /

noun

1. 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

2. nourishment in more or less solid form as opposed to liquid form

   food and drink

3. anything that provides mental nourishment or stimulus

   food for thought

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Related Words

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

• foodless adjective
• foodlessness noun
• nonfood noun

Etymology

Origin of food

First recorded before 1000; Middle English fode, Old English fōda; compare Old English fēdan, Gothic fōdjan feed; fodder ( def. ), foster

Example Sentences

Nightjars are crepuscular ground-nesting birds meaning they emerge at twilight and can be seen hunting for food at dusk and dawn.

From BBC

Target uses advanced analytics models to forecast demand for all its products including apparel, home, electronics, beauty, and food and beverage, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

“This squeeze on farm profitability could ultimately drive food prices higher,” Mohr said.

From The Wall Street Journal

"I'm a pensioner and I have to work because the pension is small and not enough. Prices for food and utilities have increased."

From BBC

“It’s difficult, if not impossible, to put food on the table, put gas in the car and pay rent when you are not getting paid.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bread
• cooking
• cuisine
• drink
• fare
• feed
• foodstuff
• meal
• meat
• snack