food

noun, often attributive \ ˈfüd \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of food

1 a : material consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, and fat used in the body of an organism to sustain growth, repair, and vital processes and to furnish energy; also : such food together with supplementary substances (such as minerals, vitamins, and condiments)

drought victims who don't have enough food to eat

b : inorganic substances absorbed by plants in gaseous form or in water solution

2 : nutriment in solid form

She gave food and drink to the hungry travelers.

3 : something that nourishes, sustains, or supplies

food for thought

Books were his mental food.

—

foodless

play \ˈfüd-ləs\ adjective

—

foodlessness

noun

See food defined for English-language learners

See food defined for kids

Examples of food in a Sentence

a farmer who grows his own food
drought victims who don't have enough food to eat
She gave food and drink to the hungry travelers.
What is your favorite food?
fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods

Recent Examples of food from the Web

Halo, Purely for Pets® donates 10,000 nutritious bowls of pet food to help care for the pets.

— tresa baldas, Detroit Free Press, "Looking to adopt? 70 homeless dogs land in Michigan," 14 Apr. 2018
Since their deaths, a disturbing timeline of abuse allegations against the Harts stretching back 10 years has emerged, including possible physical abuse and withholding of food as disciplinary measures.

— anne branigin, The Root, "Devonte Hart’s Biological Aunt Fought for Custody and Was Denied: Report," 13 Apr. 2018
Carbohydrates can be classified on the basis of their glycemic effect in the 2 hours after ingestion - the glycemic effect of a food on blood sugar response.

— NOLA.com, "Optimum Performance: What you eat before training and competition matters," 13 Apr. 2018
People were dirty from the day’s work on the muddy farm, and the stink of sweaty bodies mingled with the smell of the food.

— susan harfouche, The New Republic, "Memoirs of an Ex-Sannyasin," 12 Apr. 2018
Nearby, Banister said, was a pen holding seven adult dogs that had no shelter, no water, and only a bit of food scattered on the ground.

— christopher harress, AL.com, "Major lower Alabama bust arrests 20 drug dealers," 11 Apr. 2018
Fans of Jewish food may recognize the blinchik, a cousin of the blintz.

— tom hanchett, charlotteobserver, "At Charlotte’s Ararat 17 restaurant, the Middle East meets Russia | Charlotte Observer," 11 Apr. 2018
According to new analysis by the National Partnership for Women & Families, if the pay gap were closed, a typical woman working full-time and year-round could afford an extra 74 weeks of food for her family.

— rachel thomas and debra l. ness, Time, "1 in 3 Americans Don’t Know That a Gender Wage Gap Exists, Survey Says," 10 Apr. 2018
The DeKalbs did not see obvious signs of abuse that night and did not report Sarah and Jen Hart to authorities until the following March, when another child came from the Hart family’s home claiming his mothers were depriving the children of food.

— evan bush, The Seattle Times, "Man called 911 concerned about child abuse in Hart family, but Clark County Sheriff’s Office decided against welfare check," 10 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'food.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of food

Middle English fode, from Old English fōda; akin to Old High German fuotar food, fodder, Latin panis bread, pascere to feed

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

food Synonyms

Other Food Terms

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

FOOD Defined for English Language Learners

food

noun

Definition of food for English Language Learners

: the things that people and animals eat
: a particular kind of food
: substances taken in by plants and used for growth

FOOD Defined for Kids

food

noun \ ˈfüd \

Definition of food for Students

1 : the material that people and animals eat : material containing carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and supplements (as minerals and vitamins) that is taken in by and used in the living body for growth and repair and as a source of energy for activities

2 : inorganic substances (as nitrate and carbon dioxide) taken in by green plants and used to build organic nutrients

3 : organic materials (as sugar and starch) formed by plants and used in their growth and activities

4 : solid food as distinguished from drink

Medical Dictionary

food

noun, often attributive \ ˈfüd \

medical Definition of food

1 : material consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, and fat used in the body of an organism to sustain growth, repair, and vital processes and to furnish energy; also : such material together with supplementary substances (as minerals, vitamins, and condiments)

2 : nutriment in solid form