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

“Current Middle East unrest is already starting to impact business operations by increasing lead times, costs, container delays and the like,” one manager in the food and beverage category told the survey.

From The Wall Street Journal

Like WeChat, Max’s developers said the app would soon add a payments system and integrate games, shopping, food delivery and healthcare services.

From The Wall Street Journal

Inside the fossil, scientists also found dozens of gastroliths, small stones that the dinosaur swallowed to help digest food.

From Science Daily

“With good plant growth, rodent populations are doing well, so the snakes have good food sources and warm temperatures that are triggering more surface activity.”

From Los Angeles Times

Topics in these sections include how the news affects personal health, fitness, finance, technology, careers and more broadly, travel, fashion, food, design, real estate, big ideas and the future.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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