nu·tri·tion  (n -tr ĭsh ən, ny -)
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n.1. The process of nourishing or being nourished, especially the process by which a living organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and for replacement of tissues. 2. The science or study that deals with food and nourishment, especially in humans. 3. A source of nourishment; food.
[Middle English nutricion, from Old French nutrition, from Late Latin nūtrītiō, nūtrītiōn-, from Latin nūtrītus, past participle of nūtrīre, to suckle; see (s)nāu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
nu·trition·al adj. nu·trition·al·ly adv. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
Indo-European Roots
Semitic Roots
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.
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