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

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Etymology

Origin of nutrient

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

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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

Vanins convert pantethine into vitamin B5, an essential nutrient that cells need to produce energy.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026

“We know that GLP-1s have an impact on caloric and nutrient absorption,” she says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

The results also highlight an important distinction: A nutrient can be essential for healthy brain function without providing additional protection when consumed in large doses as a supplement.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026

On several occasions in the last five years the high nutrient levels and warm temperatures have combined to cause algal blooming turning parts of the lake a lurid green.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

But for those who’ve lived as refugees longer than memory, learning to believe in the nutrient cycle requires something close to a religious conversion.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Metabolites are chemicals formed when the body or microorganisms break down and process nutrients.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026

Still, Knight suggests that one possible explanation for some of their effects could involve reducing the dopamine signals generated when nutrients reach the digestive system.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026

Delivering these substances directly into the stomach allowed them to separate the effects of nutrients from the experience of tasting food.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026

Use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs has also played a role, as people look for ways to get more nutrients into their diet.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 7, 2026

My da used to eat the apple core and all—“where all the nutrients are. It’s plain ignorant to throw it out,” he’d say.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

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Related Words

• fiber
• food
• mineral
• vitamin

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