food

The word “food” means any substance eaten or drunk to sustain life and provide energy. In plain terms, what people and animals eat to stay alive and get energy.

“Food” is pronounced food ([fu̟(ː)d] in IPA).

Here is “food” used in a sentence: “The fridge was stocked with enough food for the whole week.”

Words with a similar meaning to “food” include Synonyms: see Thesaurus:food, aliment, bait, comestibles, cuisine and eatables.

“Food” is a noun.

The word “food” comes from Old English. From Old English foda, going back to a very old Germanic root shared with "fodder" and "foster.".

“Food” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Food” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: any substance eaten or drunk to sustain life and provide energy.

Food is the actual substance you eat — bread, fruit, meat, and so on. Nutrients are the useful components inside food, such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, that the body extracts and uses. You eat food; your body then absorbs the nutrients within it to build tissue and produce energy.

Foods are often grouped by nutrient into carbohydrates (grains, bread, pasta), proteins (meat, fish, beans), and fats (oils, butter, nuts), alongside fruits and vegetables. Everyday groupings also include dairy and sugars. These food groups form the basis of balanced diets, each supplying different nutrients the body needs to stay healthy.

Food supplies the energy and raw materials the body needs to live. It fuels movement, warmth, and thought, and provides the building blocks for growth and repair. Without adequate food the body weakens and eventually fails. Beyond mere survival, food also carries deep cultural, social, and emotional meaning for people everywhere.

Food is any nourishing substance you eat. A meal is an occasion of eating — breakfast, lunch, or dinner — usually made up of several foods served together. So food is the material itself, while a meal is a structured serving of that food eaten at a particular time of day.