meat

meat

noun \ˈmēt\

Definition of MEAT

1

a : food; especially : solid food as distinguished from drink

b : the edible part of something as distinguished from its covering (as a husk or shell)

2

: animal tissue considered especially as food:

a : flesh 2b; also : flesh of a mammal as opposed to fowl or fish

b : flesh 1a; specifically : flesh of domesticated animals

3

archaic : ¹meal 1; especially : dinner

4

a : the core of something : heart

b : pith 2b <a novel with meat>

5

: favorite pursuit or interest

— meat·ed \ˈmē-təd\ adjective

— meat·less adjective

Examples of MEAT

1. The restaurant serves a variety of meats.
2. The real meat of the book is found in its discussion of his economic plan.

Origin of MEAT

Middle English mete, from Old English; akin to Old High German maz food

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to MEAT

Synonyms

flesh

Related Words

game, poultry, red meat, variety meat

Near Antonyms

bane, poison, toxin, venom

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

Rhymes with MEAT

beat, beet, bleat, cheat, cleat, Crete, deet, eat, feat, fleet, Geat, gleet, greet, heat, lied, meet, mete, neat, peat, pleat, seat, sheet, skeet, sleet, street, suite, sweet, teat, treat, tweet, weet, wheat

meat

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Flesh and other edible parts of animals, particularly mammals, used for food. Not only the muscles and fat but also organs such as the liver, kidney, and heart are consumed as meat. Meat is valued as a complete-protein food, containing all the amino acids necessary for the human body. It is digested slowly, largely because of the presence of fats. Worldwide, pork is the most widely consumed meat; beef is second. Mutton and lamb, goat, venison, and rabbit are other common meats. The U.S. produces and consumes about a third of the world's meat, while much of the world's population eats little if any meat, though it is generally prized.