food

/ˈfüd/

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

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

noun

  1. a usually non-profit organization that collects donated food and distributes it to people in need

noun

  1. an arrangement of the organisms of an ecological community according to the order of predation in which each uses the next usually lower member as a food source

  2. a hierarchy based on power or importance