diet

1 of 4

noun (1)

di·​et ˈdī-ət 

1

a

: food and drink regularly provided or consumed

a diet of fruits and vegetables

a vegetarian diet

b

: habitual nourishment

links between diet and disease

c

: the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason

was put on a low-sodium diet

d

: a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight

going on a diet

2

: something provided or experienced repeatedly

Their imaginations feverish from a diet of detective novels …

—The New Yorker

heard a steady diet of excuses

diet

2 of 4

verb

dieted; dieting; diets

transitive verb

1

: to cause to take food : feed

2

: to cause to eat and drink sparingly or according to prescribed rules

intransitive verb

: to eat sparingly or according to prescribed rules

has been dieting for two months

dieter noun

diet

3 of 4

adjective

1

: reduced in or free from calories

a diet soft drink

2

: promoting weight loss (as by depressing appetite)

diet pills

diet

4 of 4

noun (2)

1

: a formal deliberative assembly of princes or estates

2

: any of various national or provincial legislatures

Did you know?

The word diet first appeared in English in the 13th century. Its original meaning was the same as in modern English, “habitually taken food and drink.” But diet was used in another sense too in the Middle and early modern English periods to mean “way of living.” This is, in fact, the original meaning of diet’s Greek ancestor diaita, which is derived from the verb diaitasthan, meaning “to lead one’s life.” In Greek, diaita, had already come to be used more specifically for a way of living prescribed by a physician, a diet, or other regimen.

Example Sentences

Verb

I've been dieting for two months.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Most Americans who are obese cannot seem to lose weight with exercise programs, diets, and running. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 24 May 2023

Currently, the only available treatment is to adhere to a gluten-free diet. —Morgan Hines, USA TODAY, 24 May 2023

Getty Images Lifestyle changes to diet, sleep, and exercise—paired with interventions like relaxation exercises and supplements—could reverse the aging process, according to new research. —Erin Prater, Fortune Well, 17 May 2023

And as with people, diet and exercise appears to be a factor. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 17 May 2023

News that Shakira is good about finding balance in her diet. —Korin Miller, Women's Health, 16 May 2023

This might be a cognitive issue exacerbated by lack of sleep, diet, or medications. —Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 16 May 2023

Yes | Gluten-free: Yes Best Magnesium Swanson Magnesium Lactate Pros Third-party tested Contains form of magnesium studied for anxiety Cons Interacts with some medications May not be effective for those that get enough through diet Magnesium is involved in nervous system health. —Sarah Anzlovar, Ms, Verywell Health, 15 May 2023

But, one heavier diet staple may also be the cause of that undesirable sound and stench— protein. —Cassie Shortsleeve, Men's Health, 13 May 2023

Verb

This phentermine over-the-counter replacement is most effective for people who already diet and exercise or are starting a routine and need a pick-me-up. —Dallas News, 21 July 2022

California lawmakers are targeting social media with a bill prohibiting social media platforms from having algorithms or features that expose children to diet products or lead them to develop an eating disorder. —Jesse Bedayn, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Mar. 2023

January is to diet culture as November is to pumpkin-spiced beverages. —New York Times, 27 Jan. 2022

Likewise, people with bigger bodies shouldn’t feel pressure to diet endlessly—or take any measure to change themselves—if that’s what works best for them. —Amelia Harnish, Women's Health, 27 Jan. 2023

The struggle of a season prompted Diaz to focus on his body and diet this offseason, trading steak and rice for leaner meats and salads. —Nathan Ruiz, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2022

For women, good advice about exercise has been particularly hard to separate from the pressure to diet and look hot. —Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2022

My doctor told me my bloodwork is great, to relax, and not to diet. —Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 13 Aug. 2021

Coaches could use these to test how competition is influenced by a wide variety of behaviors, from sleep patterns to diet to stance on the field. —Eleanor Cummins, Scientific American, 27 July 2021

Adjective

Still, we’ve been conditioned to see self-improvement as being about appearance, as opposed to focusing on what truly impacts our well-being, such as social connection, adequate sleep, and learning new hobbies or skills, says non-diet nutritionist and body image coach Abbie Attwood. —Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 11 Jan. 2023

Even the non-diet approach, which prioritizes relying on hunger and fullness cues to tell you when and how much to eat, may not work for athletes without some modifications. —Christine Byrne, Outside Online, 20 Mar. 2022

In response, anti-diet nutritionists, therapists, and activists have taken to social media to point out that a too tight grip on your eating habits can cause anxiety and unhealthy patterns that leave you frustrated and physically uncomfortable. —Christine Byrne, Outside Online, 22 Jan. 2021

Black and Hispanic youth, who have higher rates of sugary drink consumption than non-Hispanic White youth, were often the primary targets of advertising campaigns, the study found, especially for regular non-diet soda, sports and energy drinks. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 23 June 2020

Three other members of the group that issued the Endocrine Society guidelines received at least $50,000 combined from diet drug-makers for the same type of work during that time period, according to the Open Payments website. —Coulter Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2015

Coker Ross, a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School, serves as the CEO of the AnchorProgram, a non-diet online program for individuals with binge eating disorder, emotional eating and food addiction. —Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Nov. 2022

By the end of the hours-long meeting, skepticism remained for the anti-diet crowd. —Jay R. Jordan, Chron, 24 Feb. 2022

Intuitive eating is a ‘non-diet’ approach to a healthier relationship with food. —courant.com, 6 Jan. 2022

See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1), Verb, and Adjective

Middle English diete, from Anglo-French, from Latin diaeta, from Greek diaita, literally, manner of living, from diaitasthai to lead one's life

Noun (2)

Middle English diete day's journey, day set for a meeting, from Medieval Latin dieta, literally, daily regimen, diet (taken as a derivative of Latin dies day), from Latin diaeta — see diet entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing diet

• crash diet
• paleo diet
• Stone Age diet
• on a diet
• Mediterranean diet
• caveman diet
• ketogenic diet
• starvation diet
• staple diet
• keto diet
• paleolithic diet

See More

• crash diet
• paleo diet
• Stone Age diet
• on a diet
• Mediterranean diet
• caveman diet
• ketogenic diet
• starvation diet
• staple diet
• keto diet
• paleolithic diet

See More

Kids Definition

diet

1 of 4 noun

di·​et ˈdī-ət 

1

a

: the food and drink that a person, animal, or group usually takes

many birds live on a diet of insects

b

: the kind and amount of food selected for a person or animal for a special reason (as improving health)

a high-protein diet

c

: a plan of eating and drinking less than usual so as to reduce one's weight

going on a diet

2

: something experienced repeatedly

a steady diet of television

diet

2 of 4 verb

: to eat or cause to eat less or according to special rules

diet

3 of 4 adjective

: reduced in calories

a diet soft drink

diet

4 of 4 noun

: a body of lawmakers : legislature

Etymology

Noun

Middle English diete "regular food, diet," from early French diete (same meaning), derived from Greek diaita, literally, "manner of living"

Noun

Middle English diete "day's journey, day set for a meeting," from Latin dieta, literally, "daily regimen, diet" (associated with Latin dies "day"), derived from Greek diaita

Medical Definition

diet

1 of 3 noun

di·​et ˈdī-ət 

1

: food and drink regularly provided or consumed

2

: habitual nourishment

3

: the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason

4

: a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight

going on a diet

diet

2 of 3 transitive verb

1

: to cause to take food

2

: to cause to eat and drink sparingly or according to prescribed rules

intransitive verb

: to eat sparingly or according to prescribed rules

diet

3 of 3 adjective

1

: reduced in calories or without calories

a diet soft drink

2

: promoting weight loss (as by depressing appetite)

diet pills