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definitions

nutrient

[ noo-tree-uh nt, nyoo- ]
/ ˈnu tri ənt, ˈnyu- /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR nutrient ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

nourishing; providing nourishment or nutriment.
containing or conveying nutriment, as solutions or vessels of the body.

noun

a nutrient substance.

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RELATED WORDS

food, fiber, vitamin, mineral, nutriment

Nearby words

  1. nutmegger,
  2. nutpick,
  3. nutraceutical,
  4. nutrasweet,
  5. nutria,
  6. nutrient artery,
  7. nutrient artery of femur,
  8. nutrient artery of fibula,
  9. nutrient artery of humerus,
  10. nutrient canal

Origin of nutrient

1640–50; < Latin nūtrient- (stem of nūtriēns), present participle of nūtrīre to feed, nourish; see -ent
Related formsnon·nu·tri·ent, adjective, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nutrient

British Dictionary definitions for nutrient

nutrient

/ (ˈnjuːtrɪənt) /

noun

any of the mineral substances that are absorbed by the roots of plants for nourishment
any substance that nourishes an organism

adjective

providing or contributing to nourishmenta nutrient solution

Word Origin for nutrient

C17: from Latin nūtrīre to nourish
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

Word Origin and History for nutrient

nutrient

n.

"a nutritious substance," 1828, noun use of adjective (1640s) meaning "providing nourishment," from Latin nutrientem (nominative nutriens), present participle of nutrire "to nourish, suckle, feed, foster" (see nourish).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Medicine definitions for nutrient

nutrient

[ nōō′trē-ənt ]

n.

A source of nourishment, especially an ingredient in a food.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for nutrient

nutrient

[ nōō′trē-ənt ]

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.