meat
meet
Meat (noun) means the flesh of an animal used as food. Example: “She grilled the meat until it was perfectly tender.”
noun
1
The flesh of an animal used as food.
"She grilled the meat until it was perfectly tender."
"He gave up eating meat five years ago."
"The butcher sells fresh meat and sausages every morning."
2
The most important or substantial part of something, such as an argument or discussion.
"Let's skip the introduction and get to the meat of the proposal."
"The meat of her speech was about saving the local library."
"Skip the small talk; the meat of the report is on page ten."
How to use meat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAnimal flesh eaten as food, or figuratively, the substantial core of something.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
red meat
processed meat
meat of the matter
meat and potatoes
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Word forms
- Plural
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She grilled the _____ until it was perfectly tender.
Etymology
From Old English mete, which originally meant "food" in general, not just animal flesh — the narrower sense developed over time.
Related words
Rhymes for meat
See all rhymes for meat →Frequently asked questions
What does “meat” mean?
The word “meat” means the flesh of an animal used as food. In plain terms, animal flesh eaten as food, or figuratively, the substantial core of something.
How do you pronounce “meat”?
“Meat” is pronounced meet (/mit/ in IPA).
How do you use “meat” in a sentence?
Here is “meat” used in a sentence: “She grilled the meat until it was perfectly tender.”
What is another word for “meat”?
Words with a similar meaning to “meat” include flesh.
What part of speech is “meat”?
“Meat” is a noun.
Where does the word “meat” come from?
The word “meat” comes from Old English. From Old English mete, which originally meant "food" in general, not just animal flesh — the narrower sense developed over time.
Is “meat” a common word?
“Meat” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “meat” have?
“Meat” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the flesh of an animal used as food.
What is the difference between meat and flesh?
Flesh is the soft tissue of any body, human or animal. Meat is specifically animal flesh prepared or used as food. All meat is flesh, but flesh only becomes meat in the context of eating. That is why we say meat at the butcher but flesh when describing the body itself.
What are the types of meat?
Meat is often grouped as red meat, such as beef and lamb; white meat, such as chicken and turkey; and game, from wild animals like venison. It can also be sorted by animal, such as pork, poultry, or beef, or by cut, such as breast, loin, or shoulder.
Is fish considered meat?
It depends on the context. In everyday cooking, fish is usually treated as a separate category from meat, which is why menus list meat and fish apart. Biologically, fish flesh is animal flesh and so is meat. Some religious traditions also allow fish on days when other meat is avoided.
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