intake
Americannoun
-
the place or opening at which a fluid is taken into a channel, pipe, etc.
-
an act or instance of taking in.
an intake of oxygen.
-
something that is taken in.
-
a quantity taken in.
an intake of 50 gallons a minute.
-
a narrowing; contraction.
noun
-
a thing or a quantity taken in
an intake of students
-
the act of taking in
-
the opening through which fluid enters a duct or channel, esp the air inlet of a jet engine
-
a ventilation shaft in a mine
-
a contraction or narrowing
an intake in a garment
Etymology
Origin of intake
First recorded in 1515–25; noun use of verb phrase take in
Explanation
The act of consuming food can be called intake. A veterinarian might advise you to limit your dog's intake of pizza crusts, for example. While the process of eating can be called your intake, unless you're a militant dieter who weighs every ounce of food you consume, you're most likely to hear the word intake in a hospital or doctor's office. Caregivers might be concerned about a patient's intake of calories if he's very sick, or a dietitian might recommend an elderly woman increase her intake of calcium.
Vocabulary lists containing intake
"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Articles on Nutrition
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Over a two-year period, as part of the PREDIMED-Plus project, scientists tracked participants' diets, including their intake of virgin and refined olive oil, along with detailed analyses of their gut microbiota.
From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026
“Whether people are tracking food intake, monitoring sleep or asking about peptide therapies, they’re expressing the same underlying shift: from reactive to proactive,” Jeffrey Egler, Noom’s chief medical officer, said in an email last week.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026
Even though their total calorie intake did not increase significantly, both body weight and fat mass went up.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
Order intake across all powertrains is up 3% while battery-electric vehicle order intake is up 4% on year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
He leaned aside so Rupa could see, and heard the sharp intake of his sister’s breath.
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
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.
