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nutrition

[noo-trish-uh n, nyoo-]
See more synonyms for nutrition on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the act or process of nourishing or of being nourished.
  2. the science or study of, or a course of study in, nutrition, especially of humans.
  3. the process by which organisms take in and utilize food material.
  4. food; nutriment.
  5. the pursuit of this science as an occupation or profession.
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Origin of nutrition

1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin nūtrītiōn- (stem of nūtrītiō) a feeding, equivalent to Latin nūtrīt(us) (past participle of nūtrīre to feed, nourish) + -iōn- -ion
Related formsnu·tri·tion·al, nu·tri·tion·ar·y, adjectivenu·tri·tion·al·ly, adverbhy·per·nu·tri·tion, nounsu·per·nu·tri·tion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for nutrition

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • These questions of nutrition are still so imperfectly studied and understood!

  • Water is the greatest element of nutrition in gardens, but is easily polluted.

    Laws

    Plato

  • The same laws which govern the nutrition of muscles, apply also to the vital organs.

    The Arena

    Various

  • The diet from now on will be considered in the chapter "Diet and Nutrition."

    The Mother and Her Child

    William S. Sadler

  • Water fills an important place in the nutrition of the body.

    The Mother and Her Child

    William S. Sadler

British Dictionary definitions for nutrition

nutrition

noun
  1. a process in animals and plants involving the intake of nutrient materials and their subsequent assimilation into the tissuesRelated adjectives: alimentary, trophic
  2. the act or process of nourishing
  3. the study of nutrition, esp in humans
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Derived Formsnutritional or rare nutritionary, adjectivenutritionally, adverb

Word Origin

C16: from Late Latin nūtrītiō, from 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 nutrition

n.

early 15c., from Old French nutrition (14c.) and directly from Latin nutritionem (nominative nutritio) "a nourishing," noun of action from past participle stem of nutrire "to nourish, suckle" (see nourish).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
nutrition in Medicine

nutrition

(nōō-trĭsh′ən)
n.
  1. The process by which living organisms obtain food and use it for growth, metabolism, and repair. Its stages include ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, assimilation, and excretion.
  2. The science that deals with food and nourishment, including dietary guidelines, food composition, and the roles that various nutrients have in maintaining health.
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Related formsnu•tri′tion•al adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
nutrition in Science

nutrition

[nōō-trĭsh′ən]
  1. The process by which living organisms obtain food and use it for growth, metabolism, and repair. The stages of nutrition include ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, assimilation, and excretion.
  2. The scientific study of food and nourishment, including food composition, dietary guidelines, and the roles that various nutrients have in maintaining health.
Show More
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.