macronutrient

[ mak-roh-noo-tree-uh nt, -nyoo- ]

/ ˌmæk roʊˈnu tri ənt, -ˈnyu- /

noun

Nutrition. any of the nutritional components of the diet that are required in relatively large amounts: protein, carbohydrate, fat, and the macrominerals.

Botany. any of the three chemical elements required by plants in relatively large amounts: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Nearby words

macromyeloblast, macron, macronormoblast, macronucleate, macronucleus, macronutrient, macronychia, macroorganism, macropenis, macrophage, macrophagous

Compare micronutrient.

Origin of macronutrient

First recorded in 1940–45; macro- + nutrient

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for macronutrient

macronutrient

/ (ˌmækrəʊˈnjuːtrɪənt) /

noun

any substance, such as carbon, hydrogen, or oxygen, that is required in large amounts for healthy growth and development

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for macronutrient

macronutrient

[ măk′rō-nōō′trē-ənt ]

n.

A nutrient required in large amounts for the normal growth and development of an organism.