food

noun, often attributive

\ ˈfüd

Essential Meaning of food

1 : the things that people and animals eat a farmer who grows his own food drought victims who don't have enough food to eat See More ExamplesShe gave food and drink to the hungry travelers. good/great/delicious foodHide

2 : a particular kind of food Italian food cat food See More Examplesfrozen food What is your favorite food? an important food fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods frozen foodsHide

3 : substances taken in by plants and used for growth plant food

Full 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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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

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 Outside the Wharton Trust, a charity, there is a line of around 50 people for free food toward the end of its shelf life that a Tesco supermarket has donated. — New York Times, 2 Oct. 2021 Prior to returning to school to obtain her masters in chemistry and teaching certifications, Schultz worked in the food industry as a quality control chemist. — Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 Oct. 2021 For the longest time, that scared me away from getting into the food industry. — Dave Knox, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2021 Everyone has different tolerances for every food, both foraged and grocery store sourced. — Beth Segal, cleveland, 1 Oct. 2021 Seasonal items are an important marketing tool for the food industry, according to Alexander Chernev, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 30 Sep. 2021 On the radio, the government was urging people not to panic buy and insisting that there was enough fuel for everyone – and that temporary visas would be granted to more than 10,000 foreigners to work as truck drivers and in the food industry. — Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2021 The labor shortage in the UK is particularly apparent in its food industry. — Michelle Cheng, Quartz, 27 Sep. 2021 To be fair, Kellogg’s overhaul is relatively recent, and the food industry has been through an unusual period, first with the coronavirus and now with rising inflation. — Dallas News, 26 Sep. 2021

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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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Entries Near food

foo

food

food ball

Statistics for food

Last Updated

5 Oct 2021

Cite this Entry

“Food.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/food. Accessed 15 Oct. 2021.

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More Definitions for food

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