English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
noun Common

intake

IHN-tayk

Intake (noun) means the amount of something (food, air, liquid) that a person or system takes in. Example: “Doctors recommend watching your daily salt intake.”

noun
1
The amount of something (food, air, liquid) that a person or system takes in.
"Doctors recommend watching your daily salt intake."
"The engine's air intake was clogged with dust."
2
A group of people admitted to an organization, school, or programme at the same time.
"This year's intake of trainee nurses is the largest yet."

How to Use Intake

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the amount of something you consume, or the batch of new people entering somewhere.

Common pairings
calorie intake new intake fluid intake

Word Forms

intook past tense, intaken past tense, intakes plural, intakes singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “intake” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Doctors recommend watching your daily salt _____.

Related Words

Rhymes for intake

See all rhymes for intake →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “intake” mean?

The word “intake” means the amount of something (food, air, liquid) that a person or system takes in. In plain terms, either the amount of something you consume, or the batch of new people entering somewhere.

How do you pronounce “intake”?

“Intake” is pronounced IHN-tayk (/ˈɪnteɪk/ in IPA).

How do you use “intake” in a sentence?

Here is “intake” used in a sentence: “Doctors recommend watching your daily salt intake.”

What part of speech is “intake”?

“Intake” is a noun.

Is “intake” a common word?

“Intake” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “intake” have?

“Intake” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the amount of something (food, air, liquid) that a person or system takes in.

What is the difference between intake and uptake?

Intake is the amount of something a person or system takes in, such as your daily water intake or an engine's air intake. Uptake is the absorbing of a substance once it is available, as in a plant's uptake of nutrients, and it also appears in the idiom 'quick on the uptake', meaning quick to understand.

Is intake one word or two?

As a noun it is always one word: intake. The two-word form appears only when 'take in' is used as a verb, as in 'she paused to take in the view'. You monitor your salt intake, but you take in information.

Featured In

People Also Searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial