nutrient

[noo-tree-uhnt, nyoo-]

adjective

1. nourishing; nourishing; providing nourishment or nutriment.

2. containing or conveying nutriment, as solutions or vessels of the body.

noun

1. a nutrient substance.

nutrient

/ ˈnjuːtrɪənt /

noun

1. any of the mineral substances that are absorbed by the roots of plants for nourishment

2. any substance that nourishes an organism

adjective

1. providing or contributing to nourishment

   a nutrient solution

nutrient

1. A substance that provides nourishment for growth or metabolism. Plants absorb nutrients mainly from the soil in the form of minerals and other inorganic compounds, and animals obtain nutrients from ingested foods.

Other Word Forms

• nonnutrient adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nutrient¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin nūtrient-, stem of nūtriēns “feeding,” present participle of nūtrīre “to feed”; nourish

Word History and Origins

Origin of nutrient¹

C17: from Latin nūtrīre to nourish

Example Sentences

The team also observed the early weakening of the blood-brain barrier, which normally regulates nutrient flow into the brain and prevents harmful substances from entering.

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Growing even modest quantities of mycoprotein requires significant inputs, and the spores must be cultivated in large metal tanks filled with sugar-rich feedstock and added nutrients such as ammonium sulfate.

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“Music,” Mr. Williams believes, “is an essential nutrient. Without it, we are incomplete.”

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A heart attack deprives heart muscle cells of oxygen and nutrients, causing many of them to die.

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Other approaches involve more direct intervention, such as adding iron or other nutrients to stimulate plankton growth.

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Related Words

• fiber 
• food 
• mineral 
• vitamin