meat

noun

ˈmēt 

1

a

: food

especially : solid food as distinguished from drink

b

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

coconut meat

2

: animal tissue considered especially as food:

a

: flesh sense 2b

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

b

: flesh sense 1a

specifically : flesh of domesticated animals

3

archaic : meal entry 1 sense 1

especially : dinner

4

a

: the core of something : heart

b

: pith sense 2b

a novel with meat

5

: favorite pursuit or interest : jam sense 6b

meated

ˈmē-təd 

adjective

meatless adjective

Synonyms of meat

• flesh

Examples of meat in a Sentence

The restaurant serves a variety of meats.

The real meat of the book is found in its discussion of his economic plan.

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, samples online suggest future visitors can expect seafood, meats, and vegetables sourced as locally as possible—with plans for on-site gardens to supply the latter in the works. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026

High-protein foods rich in amino acids include lean meats like chicken and turkey, soy, nuts, seeds, beans, and fish such as salmon and tuna. —Allison Forsyth, Health, 20 Feb. 2026

The crab cakes here are made with crab meat flown in from Maryland. —Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026

Hot pot is the ancient cookery method of rapidly poaching bite-sized morsels of fresh vegetables, meats, seafood, and tofu in a communal tableside broth. —Natasha Pickowicz, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mete "food, meal," going back to Old English, going back to Germanic *mati- (whence Old Saxon meti, mat "food," Old High German maz, Old Norse matr, Gothic mats), perhaps going back to Indo-European *mod-i-, derivative of a verbal base *med- "become full," whence Greek mestós "full, satiated"

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing meat

• dark meat
• dead meat
• luncheon meat
• lunch meat
• meat and potatoes
• meat-ax
• meat loaf
• meat market
• meat sweats
• red meat
• variety meat
• white meat

Rhymes for meat

• beat
• beet
• bleat
• cheat
• cleat
• creat
• deet
• eat
• feat
• feet
• fleet
• greet

Kids Definition

meat

noun

ˈmēt 

1

a

: something eaten for nourishment

especially : solid food as distinguished from drink

b

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

walnut meat

2

: animal and especially mammal flesh used as food