nutrition

American  

[noo-trish-uhn, nyoo-] / nuˈtrɪʃ ən, nju- /

noun

• nutrition
  plural

1. the act or process of nourishing or of being nourished; the use of food for life, health, and growth.

   Our program helps families learn about nutrition and make the most of their food budget.

2. Biology. the process by which organisms take in and utilize food material.

   Most animals have holozoic nutrition—they take in whole food and then digest it into smaller particles.

3. food or nutriment; any substance used or needed for nourishment.

   Billions of people rely on seafood for essential nutrition.

   The chart shows nutrition information for each menu item, including fat, protein, and so on.

4. the science or study of, or a course of study in, nutrition, especially of humans.

   She has a master's degree in nutrition from the University of Oslo.

5. the pursuit of this science as an occupation or profession.

   She now runs a consultancy specializing in naturopathy and nutrition.

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nutrition British  

/ njuːˈtrɪʃən /

noun

1. a process in animals and plants involving the intake of nutrient materials and their subsequent assimilation into the tissues

2. the act or process of nourishing

3. the study of nutrition, esp in humans

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nutrition Scientific  

/ no̅o̅-trĭsh′ən /

1. The process by which living organisms obtain food and use it for growth, metabolism, and repair. The stages of nutrition include ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, assimilation, and excretion.

2. The scientific study of food and nourishment, including food composition, dietary guidelines, and the roles that various nutrients have in maintaining health.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hypernutrition
  noun
• supernutrition
  noun
• nutritional
  adjective
• nutritionary
  adjective
• nutritionally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• nutrition
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of nutrition

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin nūtrītiōn- (stem of nūtrītiō ) “a feeding,” equivalent to Latin nūtrīt(us) (past participle of nūtrīre “to feed”; see nourish ) + -iōn- -ion

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Explanation

Nutrition is the study of food and drink. If you take a nutrition class, you'll become more aware of the health hazards of junk food. Nutrition also has a more general meaning — the source of materials needed to nourish your body, like vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and protein. When you study nutrition, you learn the right combinations of these to have great health. You also gain an understanding of how the body uses food to produce energy, grow stronger and repair itself — this process is also called nutrition.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nutrition

The Cotswolds was badly hit by the drought, leaving grazing pastures brown and without any nutrition for the cows.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Scientists have long known that nutrition can influence this process.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026

Arla Foods Ingredients signed an agreement to acquire Volac’s Whey Nutrition business in 2024, bolstering its ability to turn whey into sports nutrition ingredients.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

There are wider questions about whether basic nutrition and other health services are reaching those most at risk.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

In late 1998, a few months before Shin was assigned to the pig farm, the World Food Program conducted a nutrition survey of children, which covered seventy percent of North Korea.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

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Related Words

• nourishment

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