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food

noun, often attributive
\ ˈfüd How to pronounce food (audio) \

Definition of food

1a : 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.
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Other Words from food

foodless \ ˈfüd-​ləs How to pronounce foodless (audio) \ adjective
foodlessness noun

Synonyms for food

Synonyms

bread, chow, chuck [chiefly West], comestibles, eatables, eats, edibles, fare, foodstuffs, grub, meat, provender, provisions, table, tucker [chiefly Australian], viands, victuals, vittles

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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
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Using a plastic container to store your food and then another dish to serve it? — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "You Won't Need Any Plastic Containers With This Space-Saving Fridge Hack," 27 Feb. 2019 Farmers around the globe are struggling to keep up with an increasing global appetite for fats that are perceived as healthy, leading to long-term disruptions in food prices. — Lucy Craymer, WSJ, "Your Avocados and Olives Are Pricier Because Fat Is In Fashion," 25 Feb. 2019 Humans are impacted as well, as microplastics make their way into our food through seafood, water, and sea salt. — Tabor Wordelman, Teen Vogue, "You Can't Just "Clean Up" the Plastic in the Ocean. Here's Why.," 18 Dec. 2018 Lend a hand at a food or clothing drive or try serving at a soup kitchen to see how giving back can affect your own mood. — Emily Chiu, Redbook, "6 Simple Things That Help Me Deal With Holiday Depression," 29 Nov. 2018 Lower turkey prices are part of a bigger trend of low or stable food prices, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index. — Hannah Rodriguez, The Seattle Times, "Turkey prices are lowest in a decade, but not for the kinds Washington farmers raise. Those are soaring.," 22 Nov. 2018 Few carried food and some local residents began to organize to help feed them. — Fox News, "Honduran migrant caravan crosses Guatemala border, US-bound," 15 Oct. 2018 Although these food references might not seem all that revelatory given the Rabbit's overall carnival theme, get this: In 2017, Joey opened up his own food truck called Fat One's Hot Dogs and Italian Ice in Orlando. — Heather Finn, Good Housekeeping, "There's No Question That Joey Fatone Is the Rabbit on 'The Masked Singer'," 17 Feb. 2019 Pass mixture through a food mill, then return to the pan and cook on high, stirring often, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. — Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, "Apple and Pear Tart," 15 Feb. 2019

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.

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First Known Use of food

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

History and Etymology for food

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

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Dictionary Entries near food

fontinalis

font name

foo

food

food ball

food bank

foodborne

Statistics for food

Last Updated

7 Mar 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for food

The first known use of food was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for food

food

noun
How to pronounce food (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of food

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

See the full definition for food in the English Language Learners Dictionary

food

noun
\ ˈfüd How to pronounce food (audio) \

Kids Definition of food

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

food

noun, often attributive
\ ˈfüd How to pronounce food (audio) \

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on food

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with food

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for food

Spanish Central: Translation of food

Nglish: Translation of food for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of food for Arabic Speakers

Comments on food

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