keto
adjective
of or derived from a ketone.
keto
1 American
[kee-toh]
/ ˈki toʊ /
adjective
Chemistry.
keto-
2
American
keto-
British
combining form
Usage
What does keto mean? Keto is short for ketogenic, referring to a diet that is low in carbohydrates but high in protein. While originating as a medical diet, it's popularly associated with weight loss.
Etymology
Origin of keto
First recorded in 1910–15; independent use of keto-
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:
Nolan, the Conagra demand scientist, has seen gluten-free, vegan, keto, low-carb and fat-free diets all wane and wax in popularity over the years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
He described attempting the keto diet as a “near-psychotic event” brought on by sugar withdrawal, joking that giving someone in his position that much irritability could have geopolitical consequences.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
Despite the debate surrounding it, the keto diet has been associated with health benefits for certain conditions, including epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 9, 2026
I had a keto diet for most of this tour, and I thought that when I got back to carbs, I’d be more in moderation with it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2025
All his chemical intuition told him that it would occur in the keto form.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
Olive oil is gluten-free as well as keto- and paleo-friendly too.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2021
Dry Farm Wines, the biggest distributor of natural wine in the U.S., markets the bottles it sells through mail-order subscriptions as sugar-free, mycotoxin-free, lab-tested, and paleo-, keto-, and low-carb-friendly.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 18, 2019
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.
