nutrition

American  

[noo-trish-uhn, nyoo-] / nuˈtrɪʃ ən, nju- /

noun

• nutrition
  plural

1. the act or process of nourishing or of being nourished; the use of food for life, health, and growth.

   Our program helps families learn about nutrition and make the most of their food budget.

2. Biology. the process by which organisms take in and utilize food material.

   Most animals have holozoic nutrition—they take in whole food and then digest it into smaller particles.

3. food or nutriment; any substance used or needed for nourishment.

   Billions of people rely on seafood for essential nutrition.

   The chart shows nutrition information for each menu item, including fat, protein, and so on.

4. the science or study of, or a course of study in, nutrition, especially of humans.

   She has a master's degree in nutrition from the University of Oslo.

5. the pursuit of this science as an occupation or profession.

   She now runs a consultancy specializing in naturopathy and nutrition.

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nutrition British  

/ njuːˈtrɪʃən /

noun

1. a process in animals and plants involving the intake of nutrient materials and their subsequent assimilation into the tissues

2. the act or process of nourishing

3. the study of nutrition, esp in humans

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nutrition Scientific  

/ no̅o̅-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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hypernutrition
  noun
• supernutrition
  noun
• nutritional
  adjective
• nutritionary
  adjective
• nutritionally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• nutrition
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nutrition

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin nūtrītiōn- (stem of nūtrītiō ) “a feeding,” equivalent to Latin nūtrīt(us) (past participle of nūtrīre “to feed”; see nourish ) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Nutrition is the study of food and drink. If you take a nutrition class, you'll become more aware of the health hazards of junk food. Nutrition also has a more general meaning — the source of materials needed to nourish your body, like vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and protein. When you study nutrition, you learn the right combinations of these to have great health. You also gain an understanding of how the body uses food to produce energy, grow stronger and repair itself — this process is also called nutrition.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nutrition

Many of the diet’s principles are surprisingly simple, which could explain its enduring popularity and effectiveness and why nutrition experts often describe it as an eating pattern rather than a diet.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026

“But I’d love to do a superhero so that I could just work on my nutrition, my fitness and my lines.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

So why, despite leaps forward in shoe technology and our understanding of nutrition and recovery, has that record not fallen?

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

Khan, who teaches sports nutrition at Lehman College and Long Island University, said runners should consume lots of carbs and electrolytes the night and morning before the race.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

“Poor kids who don’t get good nutrition just don’t grow.”

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• nourishment