food
Americannoun
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foods
plural
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any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.
-
more or less solid nourishment, as distinguished from liquids.
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a particular kind of solid nourishment.
a breakfast food; dog food.
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whatever supplies nourishment to organisms.
plant food.
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anything serving for consumption or use.
food for thought.
noun
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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
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nourishment in more or less solid form as opposed to liquid form
food and drink
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anything that provides mental nourishment or stimulus
food for thought
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of food
First recorded before 1000; Middle English fode, Old English fōda; compare Old English fēdan, Gothic fōdjan feed; cf. fodder ( def. ), foster
Explanation
Food is anything that you can eat and digest. Your body needs food to grow and live. Some people love pizza, others love Thai food, and many can't get enough fruits and vegetables. Everything served at a restaurant is some kind of food — you eat it, digest it, and poop it out. Just because you can chew and swallow something doesn't make it food — try eating a crayon. To be food, it has to have nutritional value. Along with water and shelter, food is something you need to survive.
Vocabulary lists containing food
Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms - Introductory
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Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Both are urgently needed, he says, if Cuba is ever to produce enough to feed its own population and break its reliance on food imports.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
He received food packages and had access to a red-light helmet he believes is good for his hair and scalp.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Davis was also criticised for a report he worked on about food availability in Gaza and humanitarian law, published in May.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Additionally, it could trigger a 15-to-23-basis-points increase to core inflation, which excludes food and energy, the Barclays economists said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
This was the plate of food she was served after she delivered the minefield map—the pancakes Captain Blair offered her after expressing his gratitude and awe at her bravery.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Online retailers also face restrictions - including a ban on advertising some foods on their homepage.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Ultra-processed foods include products such as packaged snacks, fast food, sugary drinks, and other industrially manufactured foods.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
They are are no longer allowed to display pre-packaged foods including sugary soft drinks, confectionery, biscuits and breakfast cereals in prominent locations such as entrances, checkouts, aisle ends and designated queueing areas.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
"Conversely, fried fast foods, often high in unhealthy fats, trans fats, and advanced glycation end-products, may contribute to inflammation and vascular damage," they add.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
These discussions included negotiating trading of corn and other foods for copper and other items the colonizers had brought.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
