nutrient

American  

[noo-tree-uhnt, nyoo-] / ˈnu tri ənt, ˈnju- /

adjective

1. nourishing; providing nourishment or nutriment.

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

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noun

nutrients plural

1. a nutrient substance.

nutrient British  

/ 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

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adjective

1. providing or contributing to nourishment

   a nutrient solution

nutrient Scientific  

/ no̅o̅′trē-ənt /

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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonnutrient
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• nutrients
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nutrient

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

Explanation

A nutrient is anything that nourishes a living being. We humans get our nutrients from what we eat, plants get theirs from the soil. While the best nutrients are natural, we can also get them from vitamins in a bottle. The words nutrient and nourish both come from the Latin word nūtrīre, "to feed, nurse, support, preserve." Although usually used as a noun, the word nutrient started out in 1650 as an adjective meaning "providing nourishment." It's important to your health to get the proper nutrients, so the food pyramid was developed by nutritionists to show you the balance of foods you need each day.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nutrient nutrients

The group has recently worked out the nutrient footprint of each farm - closely scrutinising use of bought-in feed and fertiliser.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

"I don't know of anything like that anywhere in the world where 700 farms have had a farmgate nutrient footprint and they're discussing with every farmer what they can do about it," said Cooper.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

The BBC has found increasing numbers of people are arriving at hospitals across the South East either malnourished or with nutrient deficiencies.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

In earlier research, Safe and his collaborators described NR4A1 as a "nutrient sensor," meaning that it can respond to dietary compounds and contribute to the body's ability to remain healthy with age.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

When I put the nutrient bottle back in the refrigerator, I grab a container of mustard.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Covering just under three hectares, it is divided into various plots treated in different ways, so scientists can compare how nutrients affect the growth, soil and diversity of grass.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Their thick bark and elevated canopies offer protection, while smaller fires clear vegetation, recycle nutrients, and create conditions that help new sequoias grow.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

So I drink all of my nutrients on show days before singing, and then after the show I will eat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

There are endless kinds, each one different depending on where it was drilled, the same way different fruits have different flavors and nutrients.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

For starters, no one knew exactly what nutrients they needed to survive, or how best to supply them.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• fiber
• food
• mineral
• vitamin