: a substance or ingredient that promotes growth, provides energy, and maintains life
Tomatoes contain a lot of nutrients, among them vitamins C and B-complex and the minerals iron and potassium.—
Mayo Clinic Health Letter
Mayo Clinic Health LetterMost frugivores do not depend exclusively on fruits, because fruits tend to be deficient in certain nutrients such as protein, and because they are only seasonally available.—Robert Lee Smith
Robert Lee SmithSandy soils need organic amendments to help them retain nutrients and water, which otherwise leach out quickly.—Sunset
SunsetExamples of nutrient in a Sentence
Adjective
a breakfast drink enriched with nutrient proteins and vitamins
Noun
Fruits and vegetables have important nutrients.
The soil is low in nutrients.
You need more nutrients in your diet.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
Since only the older broccoli leaves appear affected, most likely this is a nutrient deficiency starting to become evident.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Crops still need it, and many soils genuinely require additional nutrients.
—Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nutrient
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Adjective
National assessments document toxins associated with algal blooms in many states, particularly where warm temperatures and nutrient pollution overlap.
—Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
Since only the older broccoli leaves appear affected, most likely this is a nutrient deficiency starting to become evident.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Noun
The team also found that periods of elevated ocean temperatures — usually times of stress for the microbes because of a dearth of nutrients — actually resulted in more of those positive interactions.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Crops still need it, and many soils genuinely require additional nutrients.
—Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nutrient
Cite this Entry
“Nutrient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nutrient. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nutrient
1 of 2 adjective
nu·tri·ent
ˈn(y)ü-trē-ənt 
: furnishing nourishment
nutrient
2 of 2 noun
: a nutrient substance or ingredient
Medical Definition
nutrient
1 of 2 adjective
nu·tri·ent
ˈn(y)ü-trē-ənt
: furnishing nourishment
nutrient
2 of 2 noun
: a nutritive substance or ingredient
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