food stamp

American  

[food stamp] / ˈfud ˌstæmp /

noun

• food stamps
  plural

1. any of the coupons formerly sold or given under a federal program to low-income Americans and redeemable for food, as at grocery stores or markets: replaced by electronically deposited benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• food stamps
  plural

Etymology

Origin of food stamp

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

food stamp

District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island ordered the full food stamp payout by the end of the week.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2025

He thinks any near-term volatility related to concerns about food stamp disruption from the government shutdown is a buying opportunity, given Costco will likely be less impacted than other grocery-oriented retailers.

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2025

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's funding is mandatory, but food stamp benefits may be impacted by a shutdown.

From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2024

Welfare agencies were swamped with requests for emergency cash assistance and food stamp applications while the municipal civil service was hit with illness, death and a wave of early retirements.

From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2024

Grinning, Amarante produced the food stamp book and, while Nick looked on incredulously, painstakingly tore out four one-dollar stamps which he laid carefully on the counter.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols