food

noun, often attributive

\ ˈfüd

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.

Other Words from food Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about food

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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

Recent Examples on the Web

Small dishes help create a Lao street food experience. — Bon Appétit, "snapped us out of it," 18 Sep. 2019 Cerebelly, a Santa Cruz, Calif.-based children’s food brand, raised $6.7 million in funding. — Polina Marinova, Fortune, "Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman on Bitcoin: “I Was Raised in a World Where Someone Needs to Control Currencies”," 17 Sep. 2019 His original food cart, Matt’s BBQ, started in a parking lot on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard before making a splash in the beer garden at North Portland’s Prost. — oregonlive, "This Southeast Portland taco cart was just named one of America’s best new restaurants," 17 Sep. 2019 Witnesses told police the two women walked up to the drive-thru window to argue and then took turns punching and slapping the employee who was taking food orders, court officials said. — Wayne K. Roustan, sun-sentinel.com, "Women accused of attacking worker in busy fast-food kitchen," 17 Sep. 2019 The main tenant will be IMCD, a sales, marketing and distribution business of specialty chemicals and food ingredients. — Linda Gandee/special To Cleveland.com, cleveland.com, "New Marc’s plaza is cornerstone of Westlake’s current economic development," 17 Sep. 2019 All of this was a buffet for zooplankton, tiny creatures such as copepods and krill that are rich in fats and are key food sources for young fish, birds and some marine mammals. — Anchorage Daily News, "As Bering Sea ice melts, Alaskans, scientists and Seattle’s fishing fleet witness changes ‘on a massive scale’," 17 Sep. 2019 The snakes feed on animals like birds and rabbits, and take away those food sources from native wildlife like panthers, bobcats and alligators, the SWMD said. — Fox News, "Florida doubles python hunters as over 1,000 apply for hourly wage job with bounty incentives," 16 Sep. 2019 The Great Lakes region's fish are vital to our way of life, Alofs said — as a sustainable food source, for angling and its impact on the economy, and from a cultural perspective. — Keith Matheny, Freep.com, "Climate change transforming where fish in the Great Lakes region live," 16 Sep. 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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More Definitions for food

food

noun

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

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

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