Food — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈfüd/

Meaning & Definition of Food

Food (noun)

  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 food together with supplementary substances (such as minerals, vitamins, and condiments)
  2. inorganic substances absorbed by plants in gaseous form or in water solution
  3. nutriment in solid form

Food (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. substances intended to be eaten

    "a simple, little restaurant with excellent food"

    similar: bread, chow, chuck (chiefly West), comestibles, eatables, eats, edibles, fare, foodstuffs, grub, meat, provender, provisions, table, tucker (chiefly Australian), viands, victuals, vittles
    related: commissary, rations, supplies, aliment, nutriment, diet, nourishment, nurture, sustenance, mess, pap, ensilage, feed, fodder, forage, silage, slop, swill, feast, meal, refreshments, regale, repast, spread, board, dish, plate, platter, serving, finger food, natural food
    near: bane, poison, toxin, venom

  2. something that maintains or stimulates the intellect

    "a fascinating, highly readable book that will serve as brain food for those long winter evenings"

    similar: aliment, nourishment, pabulum, sustenance
    related: refection
    near: candy, fluff, pablum, pap, trash

Related Entry: Food chain (noun)

Food chain is a different word from Food. The synonyms below are for food chain, not for food.

  1. a series of types of living things in which each one uses the next lower member of the series as a source of food

    "Sharks eat fish that are lower in the food chain."

    "animals that are at the top of the food chain"

    similar: grouping, hierarchy, stratification, caste, class, estate, folk, gentry, order, stratum, bracket, echelon, grade, layer, level, tier, place, position, rank, standing, status, subcaste

Related Entry: Food chains (noun)

Food chains is a different word from Food. The synonyms below are for food chains, not for food.

  1. a series of types of living things in which each one uses the next lower member of the series as a source of food

    "Sharks eat fish that are lower in the food chain."

    "animals that are at the top of the food chain"

    similar: groupings, hierarchies, stratifications, castes, classes, estates, folk, gentries, orders, strata, brackets, echelons, grades, layers, levels, tiers, places, positions, ranks, standings, statuses, subcastes

Related Entry: Finger food (noun)

Finger food is a different word from Food. The synonyms below are for finger food, not for food.

  1. a piece of food that is meant to be picked up with the fingers and eaten

    "Waiters offered the guests finger food during the cocktail hour."

    similar: natural food, amuse-bouche, amuse-gueule, antipasto, app, appetizer, cocktail, canapé, hors d'oeuvre, munchies, starter, commissary, rations, supplies, aliment, nutriment, diet, nourishment, nurture, sustenance, mess, pap, ensilage, feed, fodder, forage, silage, slop, swill, feast, meal, refreshments, regale, repast, spread, board, dish, plate, platter, serving, nibble, snack, tidbit, bread, chow, chuck (chiefly West), comestibles, eatables, eats, edibles, fare, food, foodstuffs, grub, meat, provender, provisions, table, tucker (chiefly Australian), viands, victuals, vittles
    opposite: bane, poison, toxin, venom

Related Entry: Natural food (noun)

Natural food is a different word from Food. The synonyms below are for natural food, not for food.

  1. as in finger food

    similar: finger food, amuse-bouche, amuse-gueule, antipasto, app, appetizer, canapé, cocktail, hors d'oeuvre, munchies, starter, commissary, rations, supplies, aliment, nutriment, diet, nourishment, nurture, sustenance, mess, pap, ensilage, feed, fodder, forage, silage, slop, swill, feast, meal, refreshments, regale, repast, spread, board
    opposite: bane, poison, toxin, venom

Related Entry: Plant food (noun)

Plant food is a different word from Food. The synonyms below are for plant food, not for food.

  1. as in dressing, fertilizer

    similar: dressing, fertilizer, compost, manure
    opposite: fungicide, germicide, herbicide, insecticide, microbicide, pesticide, toxicant, bane, poison, toxic, toxin, venom, cancer, contagion, disease, virus

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Food

The most common words with a similar meaning to Food:

Chiefly West: chuck
Chiefly Australian: tucker
bread, chow, comestibles, eatables, eats, edibles, fare, foodstuffs, grub, meat, provender, provisions, table, viands, victuals, vittles, aliment, nourishment, pabulum, sustenance

Related Words for Food

commissary, rations, supplies, nutriment, diet, nurture, mess, pap, ensilage, feed, fodder, forage, silage, slop, swill, feast, meal, refreshments, regale, repast, spread, board, dish, plate, platter, serving, finger food, natural food, refection

Near Antonyms of Food

bane, poison, toxin, venom, candy, fluff, pablum, pap, trash

Word Forms of Food

Derived words: foodless (adjective), foodlessness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Food

Middle English fode, from Old English fōda; akin to Old High German fuotar food, fodder, Latin panis bread, pascere to feed

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Food

Words & Phrases Containing Food

food bank, food chain, food coma, food court, food desert, food insecure, food insecurity, food poisoning, food processor

Frequently Asked Questions about Food

What does "Food" mean?

"Food" means 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). As a noun, it is defined as: 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). It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Food"?

Other words for "Food" include bread, chow, chuck, comestibles, eatables, eats, edibles and fare. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Food" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Food"?

There are 51 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Food". Common alternatives include bread, chow, chuck, comestibles, eatables, eats, edibles, fare, foodstuffs and grub.

How do you use "Food" in a sentence?

Examples of "Food" in a sentence: "a simple, little restaurant with excellent food"; "a fascinating, highly readable book that will serve as brain food for those long winter evenings".

Is "Food" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Food" is a noun.

Is "Food" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Food" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Food"?

"Food" is pronounced /ˈfüd/.

What is the origin of the word "Food"?

"Food" comes from Middle English fode, from Old English fōda; akin to Old High German fuotar food, fodder, Latin panis bread, pascere to feed. First known use: before 12th century.