aliment

noun

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al·i·ment | \ ˈa-lə-mənt

Definition of aliment

(Entry 1 of 2)

: food, nutriment also : sustenance there was nothing there of conversational aliment — Kingsley Amis

aliment

verb

al·i·ment | \ ˈa-lə-ˌment

alimented; alimenting; aliments

Definition of aliment (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to give aliment to : nourish, sustain

Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about aliment

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Synonyms for aliment

Synonyms: Noun

Did You Know?

Noun

These days you're most likely to encounter "aliment" as a typo for "ailment," but the word was less of a rarity in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. And the word's history goes back even further than that. It dates to the 15th century and comes from Latin alere, meaning "to nourish," by way of "alimentum." Although "aliment" is uncommon in today's English, you may recognize it in the somewhat technical term "alimentary canal"-the name for the long tube in the body through which food passes after it is eaten. "Aliment" also functions as a verb meaning "to give aliment to," or "to nourish or sustain."

Examples of aliment in a Sentence

Noun complained that he had to drive for hours to find any sort of cultural aliment when visiting his parents' rural home

History and Etymology for aliment

Noun

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin alimentum, from alere "to nurse, supply with nutrition, support, maintain" + -mentum -ment — more at old entry 1

Verb

borrowed form Middle French alimenter, borrowed from Late Latin alimentāre "to nourish, maintain," derivative of Latin alimentum "food, sustenance" — more at aliment entry 1

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